05/02/2002 10:41 AM Senate RLS

CHAIRMAN  PHILLIPS  announced the  committee  would  hear HB  352-                                                          
SCHOOL  PERFORMANCE  REPORTS and  asked  a representative  of  the                                                          
Governor's Office to present the bill.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HALFORD  asked why the  Department of Education  and Early                                                              
Development  (DOEED) wants  to extend the  implementation  date of                                                              
the school designator program.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
DR. MARK LEAL,  DOEED, said that DOEED is requesting  an extension                                                              
of  implementation  of the  school  designators  for two  reasons.                                                              
First, DOEED wants to be able to  calculate growth. The designator                                                              
committee  that has  been  working  on this  issue  for two  years                                                              
wanted to be  sure to include measures of both  status and growth.                                                              
Second, the  federal "No Child Left  Behind Act," was  passed last                                                              
December and requires DOEED to seek  further direction from the U.                                                              
S. Department of Education to make  sure that Alaska's system will                                                              
align with the requirements of that act.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  THERRIAULT  asked if  the  delayed  date will  align  the                                                              
school designators date with the exit exam date.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
DR. LEAL  agreed and said  the 2004 date  aligns it with  the high                                                              
stakes portion of the exit exam.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT asked  if the House bill and  Senate bills were                                                              
aligned in the Senate HESS Committee.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
DR. LEAL say  they were and that  many of the items  discussed are                                                              
items that will now be handled through regulation.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  HALFORD  noted the  original  bill contained  a  two-year                                                              
extension but the  House HESS Committee decreased it  to one year.                                                              
He asked  if the two-year  extension was  reinstated with  a floor                                                              
amendment.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
DR. LEAL  explained  that the House  adopted an  amendment  on the                                                              
floor to reinstate the original 2004 date.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HALFORD  asked if this bill  was heard by the  Senate HESS                                                              
Committee  and  whether committee  members  objected  to the  2004                                                              
date.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
DR. LEAL said it  was heard by the Senate HESS  Committee and that                                                              
no one objected to the 2004 date.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT moved to calendar  at the Chairman's discretion                                                              
CSHB 352(HES)am and its accompanying fiscal note.