Legislature(2001 - 2002)
04/20/2001 09:09 AM House EDU
| Audio | Topic |
|---|
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
April 20, 2001
9:09 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Con Bunde, Chair
Representative Brian Porter
Representative Joe Green
Representative Peggy Wilson
Representative Gary Stevens
Representative Reggie Joule
Representative Gretchen Guess
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
OTHER LEGISLATORS PRESENT
Senator Bettye Davis
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 105
"An Act relating to the base student allocation used in the
formula for state funding of public education; and providing for
an effective date."
- HEARD AND HELD
PREVIOUS ACTION
BILL: HB 105
SHORT TITLE:FOUNDATION FORMULA INCREASE
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S)STEVENS
Jrn-Date Jrn-Page Action
02/05/01 0236 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME -
REFERRALS
02/05/01 0236 (H) EDU, HES, FIN
02/09/01 0287 (H) COSPONSOR(S): HAYES
03/19/01 0655 (H) COSPONSOR(S): DAVIES
03/22/01 0697 (H) COSPONSOR(S): LANCASTER
03/28/01 (H) EDU AT 8:00 AM HOUSE FINANCE
519
03/28/01 (H) Scheduled But Not Heard
04/04/01 (H) EDU AT 8:00 AM HOUSE FINANCE
519
04/04/01 (H) Scheduled But Not Heard
04/10/01 0939 (H) COSPONSOR(S): HALCRO, SCALZI,
04/10/01 0939 (H) MURKOWSKI, CHENAULT
04/20/01 1103 (H) COSPONSOR(S): CROFT
04/20/01 (H) EDU AT 9:00 AM HOUSE FINANCE
519
WITNESS REGISTER
MIKE MURPHY
PO Box 1062
Nome, Alaska 99762
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on behalf of Nome public schools
in support of HB 105.
MELODY DOUGLAS, Director of Finance
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
148 North Brinkley Street
Soldotna, Alaska 99669
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 105.
JOHN HOLST
PO Box 1954
Sitka, Alaska 99835
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on behalf of the Sitka School
District in support of HB 105.
DAVE JONES, Director of Finance
Kodiak Island Borough School District
722 Mill Bay Road
Kodiak, Alaska 99615
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on HB 105.
DARREN SANBORN
PO Box 510
Unalaska, Alaska 99685
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on behalf of the Unalaska City
School District in support of HB 150.
DEBBIE OSSIANDER, Member
Anchorage School Board
PO Box 670772
Chugiak, Alaska 99567
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 105.
WOODY WILSON, Superintendent
Wrangell Public School District
PO Box 2319
Wrangell, Alaska 99929
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 105.
REBECCA O'HARA, Parent
Parent Teacher Association
Anchorage School District
2400 Nancy Circle
Anchorage, Alaska 99516
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 105.
DAN BECK
PO Box 527
Delta Junction, Alaska 99737
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on behalf of the Delta/Greely
School District in support of HB 105.
RICHARD KRONBERG, President
National Education Association-Alaska
3511 Chiniak Bay Drive
Anchorage, Alaska 99515
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on HB 105.
ROD McCOY, Region VI Director
National Education Association-Alaska
7749 Old Harbor Avenue
Anchorage, Alaska 99504
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on HB 105.
CRAIG BAKER, Teacher
Kodiak Island Borough School District
PO Box 8514
Kodiak, Alaska 99615
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 105.
KRISTI LOHRENZ, Region IV Director
National Education Association-Alaska
PO Box 3229
Mountain Village, Alaska 99632
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 105.
CARL ROSE, Executive Director
Association of Alaska School Boards
316 West 11th Street
Juneau, Alaska 99801
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on HB 105.
LUCY HOPE, Teacher
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District
125 West Evergreen
Palmer, Alaska 99645
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on HB 105.
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 01-28, SIDE A
Number 0001
CHAIR CON BUNDE called the House Special Committee on Education
meeting to order at 9:09 a.m. Members present at the call to
order were Representatives Bunde, Porter, Green, Wilson,
Stevens, and Joule. Representative Guess joined the meeting as
it was in progress.
HB 105-FOUNDATION FORMULA INCREASE
[Contains discussion of SB 48.]
CHAIR BUNDE announced that the committee would hear testimony on
HOUSE BILL NO. 105, "An Act relating to the base student
allocation used in the formula for state funding of public
education; and providing for an effective date." He stated that
he is not planning on moving the bill today.
Number 0113
REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS, sponsor of HB 105, made a motion to
adopt the proposed committee substitute (CS) for HB 105, version
22-LS0506\C, Ford, 4/20/01, as a work draft.
REPRESENTATIVE JOULE objected. He asked, "What's the difference
in this: that we would reduce the amount that would go into the
formula?"
REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS responded that this reduces [the formula
increase] from $29 million to $20 million. He stated that the
difference brings the total [increase], per student, down from
$147 to $101.
REPRESENTATIVE JOULE asked why it was changed.
REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS replied that there is support for $20
million but not for $29 million.
CHAIR BUNDE remarked, "It may be a case of infinite need by
finite resources."
Number 0288
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Stevens, Porter,
Green, and Bunde voted in favor of adopting the CS for HB 105.
Representatives Wilson, Guess, and Joule voted against it.
Therefore, proposed CSHB 105 was before the committee by a vote
of 4-3.
REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS stated that it is hard for him to
[sponsor] this proposed CS, but he thinks this is a reasonable
compromise. Certainly, he said, one of the most important
things done in the legislature is to fund education. Education
has taken a tremendous hit in the last few years; yet more is
being demanded of the system in terms of the exit exam. Also,
he stated, there are increasing problems in terms of finding and
retaining qualified teachers and administrators. He noted that
in the last ten years there has been a 30 percent increase in
the cost-of-living index but only a 5 percent increase in the
funding formula, which is putting a tremendous strain on the
districts and boroughs. He explained that the foundation
formula is based on a specific dollar amount per student. The
base student allocation established in 1998 was at $3,040 per
student and has not changed since. This proposed CS increases
that allocation by $101 per student
MIKE MURPHY testified via teleconference on behalf of Nome
public schools. He stated:
I'm in favor of this increase, albeit it's really not
enough, ... [an] example being, in fiscal year '97 we
received $5,100,000 in state-aid foundation money and
in fiscal year 2002 we'll be receiving $4,929,000,
basically for the same amount of students. Over the
years our foundation money has [been] going down
because of factors involved in figuring it out, and
yet costs keep going up. The foundation is not
bringing in enough money for us to operate our schools
in a desired manner to give our students the best
education - especially with all the demands to meet
standards. ... In order to meet our desired budget
for fiscal year 2002, we're having to come up with
over 40 percent with local effort, which is putting an
undue burden on the town itself.
Number 0576
MELODY DOUGLAS, Director of Finance, Kenai Peninsula Borough
School District, testified via teleconference in support of HB
105. She stated:
We do want to note that the Kenai Peninsula Borough
School District is at the cap, as determined by the
foundation formula. The additional revenue realized
for this particular amendment - the increase of $101 -
would basically fund a one-year increase on our salary
schedule. We're facing about [a] $1.2 million or $1.4
million increase annually for our salaries and related
benefits.
CHAIR BUNDE remarked that he wanted to thank the Kenai
[Peninsula Borough School District] for being responsible in
supporting education at the local level.
Number 0649
JOHN HOLST testified via teleconference in support of HB 105 on
behalf of the Sitka School District. He stated:
I am disappointed, of course, to see the lowering of
it from $145 to $101, because my prepared comments
were to ask you to raise it to $200, which is the
amount of money our board has budgeted for in the
budget that is now in front of the assembly - it will
be approved here in another week. We desperately need
more help than this. Our heat bill alone ... is going
to go up $85,000. This increase will bring in ...
slightly more than that. ... This is barely going to
cover that cost. ... This is heading in the right
direction by adding money. The CS today is, I'm
sorry, heading in the wrong direction, I believe. I
think that we need to be increasing it from $145, not
decreasing it.
CHAIR BUNDE asked Mr. Holst if Sitka is at the cap for its local
contribution.
MR. HOLST responded that [Sitka] has been at the cap for about
six years. He stated that their budget will come up $450,000
short if they don't get the $200 figure [per student]. He said
the number today is $225,000 short, in terms of the budget,
which will correspond to the elimination of five to six
positions. This is in addition to the ten already eliminated
this year and the five that were eliminated in the current year.
REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS clarified that, with the proposed CS,
Sitka will be up $230,000, Kenai Peninsula Borough School
District will be up $1,497,000, and Nome will be up $95,000.
Number 0835
DAVE JONES, Director of Finance, Kodiak Island Borough School
District, testified via teleconference. He stated that he
wanted to address the need for the additional revenue to be
delivered in this particular vehicle.
One of the goals in SB 36 was to provide a system that
would provide resources to school districts across the
state in an equitable manner. The intent was that
future increases in revenue would be distributed
through an increase in the base student allocation
value. Unfortunately, subsequent funding increases
have come in the form of quality schools or learning
opportunity grants. It appears on the Senate side
they're currently favoring additional dollars through
an addition to the learning opportunity grant with
specifically designated areas of expenditures. The
problem with that is that not all school districts
across the state have the same needs. We don't have
needs for nursing in Kodiak because we currently
provide nurses. We do have needs for additional fuel
and electricity charges that we're facing.
So what we'd have to do is, if we got the money in the
form of a learning opportunity grant, we would need to
move money that we currently had budgeted in those
specific areas in our operating funds into the
learning opportunity grant. We could then be able to
move the money that had been freed up in our operating
fund into fuel and electricity. The problem with that
is, then, the learning opportunity grants don't count
in the 70/30 calculation for instructional
expenditures that was required by SB 36. So, in
effect, by the money not being put through the base
student allocation value, we'd be penalized to meet
the requirements of SB 36.
My other concerns with the money coming through the
learning opportunity grants are that those numbers do
not use the adjusted student account, which was the
purpose of SB 36 - to provide equitable distribution.
My other concern with learning opportunity grant money
versus HB 105, which would be an increase, is that
learning opportunity monies are a one-time monies and
we cannot provide long-term planning under one-time
monies.
REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS remarked that Kodiak would receive
$468,000 with the proposed CS.
CHAIR BUNDE stated that if learning opportunity grants are used,
not only would some of the problems that Mr. Jones addressed be
prevalent, but also Anchorage would get a much larger share of
the money.
Number 1028
REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS remarked that Unalaska would receive a
$44,000 increase with the proposed CS.
DARREN SANBORN testified via teleconference on behalf of the
Unalaska City School District in support of HB 105. However, he
said he would like to see the foundation formula increased. He
remarked that he thinks every time money is put into education
it should be put into the foundation formula because that is
something that can be counted on.
DEBBIE OSSIANDER, Member, Anchorage School Board, testified via
teleconference in support of HB 105. She stated that Anchorage,
along with other areas in the state, is no longer able to be
competitive in certain areas with employee salaries and employee
positions. There have been marked increases in unfilled
positions and decreases in ability to attract sufficient
qualified staff. She stated that [the Anchorage School Board],
for the upcoming year, has cut over $12 million worth of
programs and services just to maintain current levels of
services in other areas.
REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS noted that Anchorage would receive
$6,775,000 and Wrangell would receive $75,000 with the proposed
CS.
Number 1212
WOODY WILSON, Superintendent, Wrangell Public School District,
testified via teleconference in support of HB 105. He stated
that in the case of Wrangell public schools, there has not been
an increase in funding in over a decade. He said:
A senior in Wrangell High School today generates $42
dollars more in state money than when that same
student was in first grade. If you think about the 30
percent ... in inflation over that same period of time
this student has been in school, you can imagine all
the cuts in courses, programs, services in other
curriculum areas that we had to make. We need to add
to funding to provide an adequate education. ...
Inflation in Anchorage this last year, from January to
January, was 2.4 percent. Since education funding in
the state has been flat, the Association of School
Administrators feel that a 5 percent increase would be
a good start.
All of you know fuel costs have jumped. ... Five
percent would not give schools a large boost, but it
would actually be a modest increase, when you consider
fuel and insurance. [A] $145 increase would be a 3.68
percent increase. With 2.4 percent inflation, you'd
get about 1.2 percent more money in real money than
you got last year. If you reduce it to $101, that's
[a] 2.56 percent increase, and it only keeps up with
inflation. ... We would ask you to reconsider and put
more money in this formula for kids. ... Something
that the legislature should also be asking is, "How
much local money do communities put behind their
kids?" In the case of Wrangell, we put $2,500 in
local money behind our kids. That's at the cap;
that's all we can do.
Number 1377
REBECCA O'HARA, Parent, Parent Teacher Association (PTA),
Anchorage School District, testified via teleconference. She
stated that she believes strongly in public education. She
said:
I have watched and been aware of the education funding
process for about ten years, and I have seen the
effect of the shrinking education dollar in Anchorage.
The Anchorage School District is not what it was ten
years ago. Programs have been eliminated, maintenance
has been seriously delayed or left completely undone,
curriculum updates have been delayed or set aside
permanently, and teacher salaries are no longer
competitive. ... I appreciate that this state has
faced declining revenues and have understood the need
for a tightening of the belt. However, the line
between the tightening of the belt and cutting off the
air has been crossed, in my opinion. Education costs
have increased and funding has not kept up. We need
to loosen the belt another notch to get some breathing
room.
So, as a parent I'm grateful that class size has been
a priority of the Anchorage School District
administration; that we have dedicated teachers [who]
routinely go above and beyond what is required of
them; that we have curriculum standards; and that we
have so many involved volunteer parents. My concern
is that at the current level of funding Anchorage
schools cannot sustain their current services or
expand services when and where necessary. Therefore,
I, along with Rabbit Creek Elementary PTA, Golden View
Middle School PTA, the Anchorage Council of PTA, and
the Alaska State PTA, support this increase in the
base student allocation on the funding formula. This
increase will enable schools around the state to use
the funds, as needed, locally to maintain and better
our schools.
Number 1495
DAN BECK testified via teleconference on behalf of the
Delta/Greely School District in support of HB 105. He stated
that he is representing one of those districts that do not
support education through local effort. He said:
One of the solutions is Senator Wilken's bill, SB 48,
that is in the House currently. And that could
provide a solution for those districts that do have
the wherewithal to provide that local support. But
what I would encourage you to do is to pass HB 105.
... We had a mild winter in the Interior. Our fuel
bills went up, I think, about $75,000 this year.
Electricity is going to follow because of oil-
generated electricity. Inflation is just eating us
up. Our salary schedule is the lowest in the
Interior, including Fairbanks, and actually lower than
the Anchorage School District salary schedule. We may
have trouble recruiting teachers if we weren't laying
off teachers.
Number 1709
REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS stated that Juneau would receive $790,000
with the proposed CS.
RICHARD KRONBERG, President, National Education Association-
Alaska (NEA-Alaska), came forth and stated:
Chairman Bunde made a comment at the beginning that we
are dealing with infinite and finite resources. Now,
I don't know [that] the needs are infinite, but they
are substantial - very substantial. Our expectations
for public schools have increased exponentially, and
the resources provided to our school districts have
clearly not kept pace. An increase in the base
student allocation is the best way to meet the needs
of all Alaskan districts. Each district has unique
needs, ranging from text books to heating fuel. All
districts need the ability to attract and keep quality
school employees. The best program for kids is a
quality teacher in every classroom. The law of supply
and demand hasn't been repealed, and our districts are
no longer competitive in being able to do that. HB
105 will help in that regard; it does not go far
enough. Other states have passed us by and made
substantial incentives to attract and keep quality
staff, while our districts have not had the resources
to do this. NEA-Alaska is fully in support of our
districts being provided the resources they need. HB
105 is an overdue, positive step in the right
direction. We hope that it is truly a first step in
recognizing that investing in our children is the best
use of Alaska's resources.
Number 1713
EDDY JEANS, Manager, School Finance and Facilities Section,
Education Support Services, Department of Education and Early
Development, came forth and stated that all funding should run
through the foundation formula. He remarked that the $20
million increase and the $6 million in learning opportunity
grants that the House has already passed fall short of what the
funding task-force recommended for an increase in fiscal year
2002 by about $8.4 million.
MR. JEANS [referring to a spreadsheet provided in the committee
members' packets] stated that the first column shows the FY
(fiscal year) 2000 projected state aid under the current
foundation formula. The next three columns show an increase of
$20 million, which would increase the base student allocation by
$101, to a total of $4,041. The first column, he said, shows
the impact of the increase in the foundation program prior to
the adjustments for the funding floor. He explained that if the
funding floor were suspended, the increased cost for a $101
increase in the base student allocation would actually be
$21,355,000. With the funding floor active, the actual increase
would be approximately $20.2 million. He stated that if there
were a $25 million increase, the base student allocation would
be increased by $126 or a total of $4,066. Finally, he said an
increase at $30 million would raise the base student allocation
by $151. He added that it's important that any increased
funding for the schools go through the foundation program
because that also supports lifting the cap on the local
contributions. When the legislature appropriates money such as
the learning opportunity grants outside the funding formula, it
doesn't help the districts with their local caps.
CHAIR BUNDE asked how much the foundation formula had increased
via SB 36.
MR. JEANS responded that the increase under SB 36 was
approximately $21 million in state general funds; however, in
the following years there was an increase in required local
effort and increased impact aid. Therefore, the general fund
commitment to the foundation formula has actually decreased by
almost $21 million.
Number 1967
ROD McCOY, Region VI Director, National Education Association-
Alaska, came forth and stated:
I was shocked when I came in here. The first item of
the day was to cut $9 million again out of hopes for
children in education. I did not anticipate that, and
I was very disappointed to observe that. ... It has
been the rule of the day down here ... to look at not
[what] education needs, but ... [with] too much of an
interest in cutting the budget. One representative
had on his wall a plastic meat axe, when I came down
here, as a theme of the day for his agenda here in
Juneau. Well, not on his intention, Head Start
lobbyists were coming around and putting on all of the
doors drawings of children. This had the effect, of
course, of having a meat axe held over the heads of
the Head Start children. And that's exactly what has
been the theme of the day down here for years. That
must change.
... If I were to just march in the general theme of
the day, in the classroom, if I were to not try new
risks, try new practices, invent new efforts to reach
children and to bring them onboard in education, I
could not be in pursuit of excellence. ... Let's think
a little bit about state accountability for education.
I don't know if you realize it or not, but you rank at
the 2 percent level in the nation for your ability to
keep up funding for education. Alaska is dead last in
relationship to other states in the nation that are
much more ambitious in their hopes for children in
their state. I don't think that's a very high
accounting for the legislative practices in this
state. ... In Anchorage ... we cut 17 elementary
positions; in physical education, music, and art we've
cut 9 positions; we cut an elementary school
counselor; we cut the learning opportunity grants; ...
the elementary agenda for interschool academic
competition ... has been cut. Textbook adoption - we
need to have textbooks that meet standards of this
state; we need to train students to not only
understand a concept in mathematics, but to be able to
take that concept and write out their understanding of
that concept. Our textbooks don't do that. ... If we
are going to have quality and excellence in education,
we have got to have quality and excellence in your
pursuits in these [legislative] halls.
Number 2149
CRAIG BAKER, Teacher, Kodiak Island Borough School District,
came forth and stated that he wanted to look at this in three
ways. First of all, he said, at the statewide level there is
difficulty in recruiting and retaining teachers. There has been
a one-third-turnover rate of teachers in school districts in the
northern part of the state. On the local level, in Kodiak, he
stated, in order to minimize the increased class size, there
have been many cuts such as for crossing guards, swim trips,
elementary band programs, and sports travel. Finally, he
remarked:
On a personal level, I've waited for 16 years for my
colleague to retire from the high school so I could
move up. I've been stuck in a time warp in seventh-
grade science for 16 years. I finally get there and I
find that the budget's been cut such that I can't do
the sorts of things I want to do in science without
spending my own money. I've already put close to
2,000 of my own dollars into my classroom. ... My wife
is an elementary school teacher. Every year she puts
a couple thousand dollars into her classroom - of our
money - because there's not enough budget. ... I'm
constantly hearing that it doesn't help to throw
money; that's not going to solve the problem. And I'm
not arguing with you, but we need to maintain some
basic things. And it's getting down to that basic
level right now.
Number 2278
KRISTI LOHRENZ, Region IV Director, National Education
Association-Alaska, came forward and stated that she represents
several large areas [in Bush Alaska]. Her local district, in
Lower Yukon, has 11 sites. She remarked that last year there
were 52 [staff] openings, and this year there are 60. She
explained that much of it has to do with lack of funding for
schools - lack of funding because of the living situations and
because teachers can't afford to live [in the Bush] and can't
put their own money into their education classes. Every year,
she said, she puts in $2,000 to $5,000 to benefit her students
because the schools don't have up-to-date globes, maps, or
reading materials. She added that the Bush is a very different
situation in a lot of ways because it is totally dependent on
state funding.
TAPE 01-28, SIDE B
Number 0026
CARL ROSE, Executive Director, Association of Alaska School
Boards, said he would speak about the last 15 years of
[Alaska's] educational system. He emphasized the gravity of
what has taken place. He illustrated his point by saying that
if one boils a pot of water and throws a frog in it, the frog
pops out, but if one slowly boils that pot, the frog doesn't
jump out.
MR. ROSE explained that throughout the past 15 years there have
been efforts to improve the quality of education, and schools
are about "boiled out." As the executive director of the school
board association, he said he sits on the other side of the
table from teachers; "we" have been paring down and holding the
line to such a degree that [Alaska] is no longer competitive.
He pleaded with the committee to look at the needs of the
educational system and to make the investment.
MR. ROSE pointed out that he served on the A-plus committee and
that a report was generated which identified $34 million [in
needs], he commented that it was a modest request. It is a lot
of money, but over the past 15 years the system has been
depleted. [Schools] have increased the accountability and have
benchmark exams and high school qualifying exams, and are being
required to do things that have never been required before; the
ability to meet that challenge is being hampered, however.
Number 0102
MR. ROSE commented that the SB 36 initiative was to first
establish equity, although some of "us" disagree with that
equity, and second to address adequacy, which has not been
addressed. Basically, it was for distribution and then
adequacy, and "we" are still suffering from this today. The 30
percent loss of buying power has affected every portion of
operation; in looking at the funding floor, when the bill was
put in place, "we" tried to "rat mound" those people who needed
protection. Now that the bill has been in place, "we" have
accomplished that, and for $1.4 million one can eliminate that
funding floor and treat everyone equitably, so people who get
new students don't get discounted by 40 percent. This
description gives people an idea of how "we" treat everyone
fairly.
MR. ROSE explained that if one is looking at adequacy, dollars
into the foundation formula should be distributed equitably. He
doesn't believe that the funding floor accomplishes that, and it
needs to be looked at.
Number 0260
MR. ROSE remarked that he understands all of the constraints
that the committee is under. He added that he is working with
Alaskans United [Against the Cap] to talk to people about the
loss of revenue and the increase of essential services in the
state so that "we" can cultivate a better understanding of what
needs to be done to improve the quality of services and the
quality of life. There are two choices: crash headlong into
the wall in the next four to five years; or put together some
kind of plan that vaults us over that wall and safely into the
future. The inability to do that will cause inadequate funding
of what needs to be accomplished. Standards have been set, and
he would like to help [the committee] reach them. He pointed
out that the last 15 years have taken a slow and incremental
toll on the educational system that has been devastating.
Number 0323
CHAIR BUNDE commented that there were people getting money
previously that couldn't justify it, so when talking about
fairness, if the floor is eliminated, then an unfairness is
compounded in some people's minds; therefore, don't eliminate
it. He said he represents a well-educated district that
appreciates education, but the majority of people there still
think that the best way out of the state's financial
difficulties is by reducing state spending. The largest portion
of state spending is for education, so [the committee] is
actually going against the advice of many [Alaskan] citizens and
attempting to increase state spending in this arena. He said 50
percent of something is better than 100 percent of nothing.
Number 0419
MR. ROSE said he understands what the committee members are up
against; he thanked them for looking at the learning-opportunity
grants and funneling whatever money possible to the foundation
formula. He said it is the mechanism that "we" decided would
distribute money equitably.
Number 0458
LUCY HOPE, Teacher, Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District,
said she is also a member of the National Education Association-
Alaska (NEA-Alaska) Board of Directors. She said she wants to
talk about the retention and difficulty of recruiting teachers.
In the [Matanuska-Susitna] district, 315 teachers have been
hired in the last four years, which represents 33 percent of its
teaching force. Forty percent of those people have no teaching
experience at all, and "we" are working very hard to support
them at the beginning of their career because we are so
desperate to retain them.
MS. HOPE said recruitment has been difficult, and the state's
university program graduates only 30 percent of the teachers
that [Alaska] needs to hire every fall across the state. That
means that if every one of those teachers went into teaching
here in Alaska, [Alaska] would still have to go out and recruit
70 percent of the teaching force that is needed every year. It
is more important than ever that [Alaska] has a competitive
salary and benefit package to offer. She said she has been at
recruitment fairs for special education, and it is really
discouraging when people walk right by the Alaskan recruiting
booths and go talk to recruiters from Los Angeles and New York
and so forth.
Number 0570
MS. HOPE commented that she supports the committee's efforts to
add more money into the formula, for all of the reasons that
were spoken to; she added that it is important to keep in mind
that in the case of the Matanuska-Susitna [Borough], there is an
interesting situation with the "assessed valuation" increase,
which has been phenomenal over the last three years. Because of
the formula language - the "deduct" provision - next year the
state formula will bring $72 less per student than this year, so
even with the $101 increase, the Matanuska-Susitna district will
only realize a $29 per-student increase. She urged the
committee to look at funding [as recommended in the] A-plus
report, and said it was a balanced report and a modest request.
CHAIR BUNDE said he understands the competitive challenge
regarding teacher's salaries because when he came to teach in
Alaska, he doubled his salary.
MS. HOPE commented that she did, too, and had she stayed in the
district that she left, she would now be making $12,000 more.
Number 0642
REPRESENTATIVE GUESS made a motion to move the CS for HB 105,
version 22-LS5056\C, Ford, 4/20/01, out of committee with
individual recommendations and the attached fiscal notes.
CHAIR BUNDE stated that he was not going to move the bill [out
of committee] today, and that Representative Guess must not have
been present when he made the announcement.
REPRESENTATIVE GUESS challenged the decision.
Number 0603
CHAIR BUNDE announced that the House Special Committee on
Education meeting was adjourned.
REPRESENTATIVE GUESS objected to the decision to adjourn.
ADJOURNMENT
Number 0663
CHAIR BUNDE announced at 10:10 a.m. that the House Special
Committee on Education meeting was recessed to a call of the
Chair. [HB 105 was held over.]
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|