Legislature(1993 - 1994)
03/30/1993 03:00 PM House HES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HOUSE HEALTH, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES
STANDING COMMITTEE
March 30, 1993
3:00 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Rep. Cynthia Toohey, Co-Chair
Rep. Con Bunde, Co-Chair
Rep. Al Vezey
Rep. Pete Kott
Rep. Harley Olberg
Rep. Bettye Davis
Rep. Irene Nicholia
Rep. Tom Brice
MEMBERS ABSENT
Rep. Gary Davis, Vice Chair
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HB 83: "An Act making appropriations for construction and
major maintenance of schools; and providing for an
effective date."
RESCINDED PRIOR ACTION; PASSED WITH INDIVIDUAL
RECOMMENDATIONS
*HCR 15: Relating to Alaska school bus driver appreciation
day.
PASSED WITH INDIVIDUAL RECOMMENDATIONS
HB 190: "An Act relating to grants awarded by the Alaska
Science and Technology Foundation."
PASSED WITH INDIVIDUAL RECOMMENDATIONS
*HB 174: "An Act relating to organization of the public
school system; and providing for an effective
date."
HEARD - NO ACTION TAKEN
(* First public hearing.)
WITNESS REGISTER
LINDA GJOSUND
Aide to Rep. Gail Phillips
Alaska State Legislature
State Capitol, Room 216
Juneau, Alaska 99801-1182
Phone: (907) 465-2689
Position statement: Represented prime sponsor of HCR 15
TOM ANDERSON
Aide to Rep. Terry Martin
Alaska State Legislature
State Capitol Building, Room 411
Juneau, Alaska 99801
Phone: (907) 465-3783
Position statement: Represented prime sponsor of HB 210
JOHN SIBERT, Executive Director
Alaska Science and Technology Foundation
550 W. Seventh Ave. #360
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
Phone: (907) 272-4333
Position statement: Answered questions on HB 190
CARL ROSE, Executive Director
Association of Alaska School Boards
316 W. 11th St.
Juneau, Alaska 99801
Phone: (907) 586-1083
Position statement: Testified in opposition to HB 174
DUANE GUILEY, Director
Division of Education Finance and Support Services
Department of Education
801 W. 10th St., Suite 200
Juneau, Alaska 99801-1894
Phone: (907) 465-2891
Position statement: Testified on HB 174
JOHN HOLST, Superintendent
Craig City Schools
P.O. Box 800
Craig, Alaska 99921
Phone: (907) 826-3274
Position statement: Testified in opposition to HB 174
BOB WEINSTEIN, Superintendent
Southeast Island School District
P.O. Box 8340
Ketchikan, Alaska 99901
Position statement: Raised questions on HB 174
BOBETTE BUSH, Interim Superintendent
Kuspuk Schools
Aniak, Alaska 99557
Phone: (907) 675-4250
Position statement: Testified in opposition to HB 174
RON DELAY, Superintendent
Tanana School District
Tanana, Alaska 99777
Position statement: Raised questions on HB 174
PAUL THIBODEAU
P.O. Box 38
Craig, Alaska 99921
Phone: (907) 826-3275
Position statement: Testified in opposition to HB 174
BILL MILLER, Superintendent
Galena City School District
P.O. Box 299
Galena, Alaska 99741
Phone: (907) 656-1205
Position statement: Testified in opposition to HB 174
LEO MORGAN, President
Kuspuk Schools
Aniak, Alaska 99557
Position statement: Testified in opposition to HB 174
PREVIOUS ACTION
BILL: HB 83
SHORT TITLE: APPROP:SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION GRANT FUND
BILL VERSION:
SPONSOR(S): RULES BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR
TITLE: "An Act making appropriations for construction and
major maintenance of schools; and providing for an effective
date."
JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION
01/22/93 134 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME/REFERRAL(S)
01/22/93 134 (H) HES, FINANCE
01/22/93 134 (H) -REVENUE FN (REV) 1/22/93
01/22/93 134 (H) -ZERO FISCAL NOTE (DOT)
1/22/93
01/22/93 134 (H) GOVERNOR'S TRANSMITTAL LETTER
02/09/93 (H) HES AT 03:00 PM CAPITOL 106
02/09/93 (H) MINUTE(HES)
03/09/93 (H) HES AT 03:00 PM CAPITOL 106
03/09/93 (H) MINUTE(HES)
03/16/93 (H) HES AT 03:30 PM CAPITOL 106
03/16/93 (H) MINUTE(HES)
03/23/93 (H) HES AT 03:00 PM CAPITOL 106
03/23/93 (H) MINUTE(HES)
03/29/93 (H) HES AT 03:00 PM CAPITOL 106
03/29/93 (H) MINUTE(HES)
03/29/93 (H) MINUTE(HES)
03/29/93 (H) MINUTE(HES)
03/29/93 (H) MINUTE(HES)
03/30/93 (H) HES AT 03:00 PM CAPITOL 106
BILL: HCR 15
SHORT TITLE: SCHOOL BUS DRIVER APPRECIATION DAY
BILL VERSION:
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) PHILLIPS,James
TITLE: Relating to Alaska School Bus Driver Appreciation
Day.
JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION
03/12/93 618 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME/REFERRAL(S)
03/12/93 618 (H) HEALTH, EDUCATION & SOCIAL
SERVICES
03/30/93 (H) HES AT 03:00 PM CAPITOL 106
BILL: HB 190
SHORT TITLE: AK SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION GRANTS
BILL VERSION:
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) MARTIN
TITLE: "An Act relating to grants awarded by the Alaska
Science and Technology Foundation."
JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION
03/01/93 493 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME/REFERRAL(S)
03/01/93 493 (H) LABOR & COMMERCE, HES
03/25/93 (H) L&C AT 03:00 PM CAPITOL 124
03/25/93 (H) MINUTE(L&C)
03/26/93 786 (H) L&C RPT 2DP 2DNP 3NR
03/26/93 787 (H) DP: GREEN, WILLIAMS
03/26/93 787 (H) DNP: MACKIE, SITTON
03/26/93 787 (H) NR: MULDER, PORTER, HUDSON
03/26/93 787 (H) -ZERO FISCAL NOTE (REV) 3/26/93
03/30/93 (H) HES AT 03:00 PM CAPITOL 106
BILL: HB 174
SHORT TITLE: CONSOLIDATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS
BILL VERSION:
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) MARTIN,Kott
TITLE: "An Act relating to organization of the public school
system; and providing for an effective date."
JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION
02/24/93 434 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME/REFERRAL(S)
02/24/93 434 (H) HES, FINANCE
03/12/93 628 (H) COSPONSOR(S): KOTT
03/22/93 (H) HES AT 03:00 PM CAPITOL 106
03/22/93 (H) MINUTE(HES)
03/30/93 (H) HES AT 03:00 PM CAPITOL 106
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 93-52, SIDE A
Number 000
CHAIR BUNDE called the meeting to order at 3:12 p.m., noted
members present and announced the calendar. He brought
HB 83 to the table.
HB 83: APPROP: SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION GRANT FUND
CHAIR BUNDE noted that the committee had considered and
passed the bill the previous day, March 29, 1993. He moved
that the committee rescind its action to pass the bill.
REP. BRICE objected for the purpose of discussion and asked
the reason for the action.
CHAIR BUNDE said that he wanted to replace the version of
HB 83 passed from the committee with another version of the
bill as a working draft.
REP. BRICE withdrew his objection.
CHAIR BUNDE declared that the committee had withdrawn the
original version of HB 83, and then had before it a new
version of HB 83.
Number 040
REP. TOOHEY moved that the committee use the new version of
HB 83 as the working document.
CHAIR BUNDE asked for objections, and hearing none, declared
that the committee would use the new version of HB 83 as the
working document. He asked the pleasure of the committee.
Number 046
REP. BRICE asked for a copy of AS 37.25.020, and asked what
it dealt with.
CHAIR BUNDE said that the committee did have copies of the
statute. He said that the only difference between the
version considered on March 29, 1993, and the version
currently before the committee was that the newer version
did not direct specific sums to specific sites. The newer
version would allow the committee more flexibility, he said.
REP. B. DAVIS asked who would decide.
REP. BRICE said that it would be left up to the Department
of Education, rather than the school districts.
CHAIR BUNDE disagreed, saying that those decisions would be
made by the House Finance Committee, which was the next
committee of referral for the bill.
Number 065
REP. TOOHEY moved that the new version of HB 83 be passed
with individual recommendations.
REP. BRICE objected. He asked if it was not within the
purview of the Health, Eduction and Social Services
Committee (HESS) to make such decisions.
CHAIR BUNDE said that any input Rep. Brice wanted to give to
the Finance Committee would be appreciated.
REP. BRICE countered that he would like to be able to vote
on his input.
Number 079
CHAIR BUNDE noted Rep. Brice's concern.
REP. OLBERG said he was aware of at least three versions of
the list of projects to be funded under HB 83, and that he
was sure there would be even more versions. He said that,
at that point, he supported swift passage of HB 83 from the
HESS Committee.
Number 108
CHAIR BUNDE asked for further discussion and, hearing none,
called for a roll call vote on the motion. Those voting yes
were Reps. Olberg, Vezey, Bunde, Toohey and Kott. Those
voting no were Reps. Brice and B. Davis. The motion passed
5-2.
CHAIR BUNDE declared that CSHB 83 had passed from the
committee with individual recommendations.
CHAIR BUNDE then brought HCR 15 to the table.
HCR 15: SCHOOL BUS DRIVER APPRECIATION DAY
Number 123
LINDA GJOSUND, LEGISLATIVE AIDE TO REP. GAIL PHILLIPS,
testified on behalf of Rep. Phillips, the prime sponsor of
HCR 15. She said she had worked for the Kenai Peninsula
School District and respected the bus drivers and the job
they did. She said the bus drivers did a good job and
created a good rapport with the children on their buses.
CHAIR BUNDE said the resolution probably did not go far
enough, as it did not involve combat pay. He asked for
questions from the committee.
Number 144
REP. BRICE moved passage of HCR 15 with individual
recommendations and asked for unanimous consent.
REP. KOTT commented that it was comical that Rep. Phillips
had also sponsored legislation a few weeks earlier that
considered school bus drivers as "bad guys" who should be
tested for drug use.
CHAIR BUNDE, hearing no objection, declared HCR 15 had
passed from the committee with individual recommendations.
CHAIR BUNDE then brought HB 190 to the table.
Number 163
HB 190: ALASKA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION GRANTS
TOM ANDERSON, LEGISLATIVE AIDE TO REP. TERRY MARTIN,
testified on behalf of Rep. Martin, the prime sponsor of the
bill. He conveyed Rep. Martin's apologies for having to be
at a Finance Committee meeting which necessitated his
absence from the HESS Committee meeting. He said HB 190 was
a simple bill which made it clear that the board of
directors of the Alaska Science and Technology Foundation
(ASTF) could issue grants to the University of Alaska. He
said the ASTF directors already had such authority under the
statute granting the foundation authority to give preference
to Alaska organizations. He said the university would get
no special preference in its grant applications through the
bill.
Number 190
REP. BRICE asked whether the bill would mean the university
would no longer have to compete in the regular grant
application process.
MR. ANDERSON answered no, there would be no change in the
application process.
REP. BRICE asked if there had been any talk of giving any
preference to K-12 education (in funding grants).
REP. TOOHEY asked what the question had to do with the
university.
REP. BRICE said none, but given the concern in the state
over education, there might be a need for such preference as
well.
MR. ANDERSON said there was no preference granted under
HB 190. He repeated that Rep. Martin wanted to make clear
that the university could receive grants from the ASTF. He
said that several grants had already been made to K-12
education.
Number 219
CHAIR BUNDE commented that the bill was an effort to
encourage the university to look to the ASTF for research
funding.
Number 224
REP. TOOHEY asked if the ASTF funded basic research.
MR. ANDERSON said that was correct.
Number 225
CHAIR BUNDE noted that the director of the foundation would
soon offer testimony by teleconference and could answer some
questions.
Number 228
REP. KOTT asked Mr. Anderson what was classified as an
institution under the bill.
MR. ANDERSON answered that the university was one
institution and a hospital would be another.
Number 237
JOHN SIBERT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALASKA SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION, testified via teleconference from
Anchorage in support of HB 190. He said the foundation
funded many university projects already. He said the bill
might be unnecessary, as all University of Alaska
researchers already knew of the ASTF. He said that the
foundation had funded about 28 of 107 full proposals from
the university, and that about 30 percent of all projects
the foundation has funded have involved the university. He
said the foundation did not fund the kind of basic research
performed by the university, but served a niche of needs
driven research.
MR. SIBERT stated that the bill would not increase the
number of university projects funded by the ASTF. He also
expressed worry over having a bill relating to the
foundation on the floor of the legislature late in the
session. He said the foundation directors, in evaluating
grant applications, tried to focus on the effect of issuing
the grant, and not focus on the identity of the originating
institution. He said that part of the foundation's mission
was to fund projects dealing with K-12 education. He noted
two programs to provide teachers with direct grants. One
allows teachers to learn how better to teach math, science
and physics using local culture and environment, while
another provides a summer industrial fellowship to involve
teachers in research projects funded by the foundation. In
summary, he said that while he appreciated Rep. Martin's
intent, the legislation was probably unnecessary.
Number 302
MR. ANDERSON commented that Rep. Martin, as a member of the
House Finance Committee, believed that some research funding
was wasteful. He said the state might save some money by
pointing out that the ASTF was a source of funding for some
research.
REP. BRICE noted that the bill indicated, in Section 1,
lines 5-7, that the directors of the ASTF would give
preference in awarding grants to Alaska residents or
institutions.
CHAIR BUNDE closed public testimony on HB 190 and asked the
will of the committee.
REP. KOTT moved passage of HB 190 with individual
recommendations.
REP. B. DAVIS objected.
CHAIR BUNDE called for a roll call vote on the motion.
Those voting yes were Reps. G. Davis, Kott, Olberg, Toohey
and Bunde. Those voting no were Reps. B. Davis and Brice.
The motion passed 5-2. He then brought HB 174 to the table.
HB 174: CONSOLIDATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS
Number 346
MR. ANDERSON testified in Juneau representing Rep. Martin,
the prime sponsor of the bill. He said the intent of the
bill was to further the discussion of school district
consolidation. He said Rep. Martin asked the HESS Committee
not to pass the bill from committee, so as to allow time
during the interim and in the second session of the 18th
Legislature to consider the bill further. He referred to an
amendment he had passed out to the committee which would
require REAAs (Rural Education Attendance Areas) to have at
least 1,000 students or be consolidated with another area.
He said Rep. Martin believed that combining some single-site
school districts, such as the Iditarod, Kuspuk, Yupiit and
Lower Kuskokwim, would not only save the state money, but
would also bring together students that should probably be
in the same school district. He said Rep. Martin's intent
was not to ignore or disrupt ethnic or cultural differences,
but to save money. He referred to information from the
Division of Legislative Audit in the bill packet relating to
the potential for saving money by consolidating school
districts.
Number 388
CHAIR BUNDE said he believed that Rep. Martin had said that
he was not attempting through the bill to promote racial
segregation.
MR. ANDERSON said that was correct.
Number 393
REP. VEZEY commented that the amendment did not make sense.
CHAIR BUNDE said the committee had not adopted the
amendment.
REP. VEZEY moved the amendment for purposes of discussion.
REP. BRICE objected.
Number 401
REP. VEZEY repeated that the amendment did not make sense.
He said that Section 6 of the bill amended AS 29.35.260(B),
while the amendment presented by Rep. Martin's aide listed a
change to AS 14.12.025. He stated that Section 7 of the
original bill would repeal AS 14.12.025.
MR. ANDERSON said the repeal of AS 14.12.020 merely put back
what was already there. He said Rep. Martin believed that
the bill should not attempt to consolidate single-site, city
or borough school districts. The bill was an attempt to
deal just with REAAs, he said. He said Section 6 would
allow city or borough school districts as long as they had
at least 250 students, he said.
Number 429
REP. VEZEY repeated that he believed that the amendment was
seriously flawed.
MR. ANDERSON said he would have to consult with Legal
Services concerning Section 7 and Section 8.
REP. VEZEY stated that just deleting part of Section 7 would
handle part of the problem. He asked whether the amendment
would delete all of Section 6.
Number 444
CHAIR BUNDE noted that, since the sponsor did not want to
move the bill swiftly, it might be appropriate to take
testimony on the bill and then hold it over to the interim
for more work on detailed issues. He suggested that the
bill might be modified to encourage better attendance at
some schools by relating state funding levels to attendance
levels.
Number 460
CARL ROSE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ASSOCIATION OF ALASKA SCHOOL
BOARDS, testified in Juneau in opposition to HB 174. He
said there was a gap between state policy and the bill's
proposal and he would be glad to work with Rep. Martin
during the interim. He said he had recently returned from a
meeting of the National School Board Association held in
California, a state with many school districts large and
small. He said that many first-class cities in Alaska
receive the same proportion of education funding as
Anchorage does, excluding area cost differentials in the
foundation formula. He stated many such first-class
communities supported their school districts at a high rate.
He noted that Skagway, where he lives and serves on the
school board, provides $400,000 of its $1.4 million budget
through local taxes. He said consolidation solely based on
numbers was offensive to smaller communities. He stated
there was a misunderstanding about how smaller districts
operate. He remarked that he wanted to teach members of the
House and Senate HESS Committees how the state educational
system worked so they could understand that consolidation
might not save money. He said consolidation would run
counter to efforts to provide more local control of schools.
Number 502
REP. TOOHEY said that the state respected the need for local
autonomy. However, she said, consolidating five schools in
one small area under a single superintendent did not
eliminate local community control of the schools. She said
the bill was addressing the fact that each of five small
school districts was a separate entity.
MR. ROSE said some school districts were close together. He
stated, however, that superintendents at smaller school
districts had different jobs than those at urban districts.
He said some superintendents also teach, and eliminating a
superintendent would therefore not save a school district
much money.
Number 515
CHAIR BUNDE said the committee realized that eliminating a
superintendent would not mean all of his salary would go
into the classroom. However, he said, a teacher who was
also a superintendent could not put all of his time into a
classroom.
Number 522
DUANE GUILEY, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF EDUCATION FINANCE AND
SUPPORT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, testified in
Juneau on HB 174. He addressed the fiscal note prepared for
HB 174 by the Department of Education. He said HB 174 would
cause a loss of about $6.8 million in revenue to the state
in the first year after it was passed, as communities
required to make local contributions for their schools were
folded into REAAs, which had no such requirements. He said
the bill addressed only REAAs and city school districts
serving fewer than 1,000 students, which included 41 of 54
state school districts. He said it ignored the six borough
school districts with fewer than 1,000 students. He said
consolidating some school districts might create new
districts, which would cover excessively large geographical
areas. He stated the department's support for local control
of and input into educational programs.
Number 542
JOHN HOLST, SUPERINTENDENT OF CRAIG CITY SCHOOLS, testified
via teleconference from Ketchikan in opposition to HB 174.
He said he was glad to hear the bill was limited to REAAs.
CHAIR BUNDE noted that the proposed amendment on the floor
would limit the bill's provisions to REAAs.
MR. HOLST said consolidation of the three REAAs in
Southeastern Alaska into one district would create large
problems. He said that money would not be saved by
consolidating city school districts, which he said were
among the most efficient in the state considering the work
actually performed by superintendents and principals. He
said the bill was bad legislation that did not address
educational issues in any systematic way.
Number 571
REP. VEZEY asked why, in light of the extra $1 million state
appropriation for single-site schools, consolidation would
not save money.
MR. HOLST said the foundation formula established in 1987
did not treat single-site districts fairly, and recognition
of that fact resulted in immediate promises to fix the
situation. He said Craig had since gotten supplemental
funds ranging from $108,000 to $160,00 each year. He stated
that the Alaska 2000 committee's recommendations on school
funding resolved the single-site funding inequity and other
equity issues around the state.
CHAIR BUNDE asked if that satisfied Rep. Vezey's question.
REP. VEZEY answered that it did.
CHAIR BUNDE noted that a chart available to the committee
members showed that administration costs for the Lower Yukon
and Lower Kuskokwim school districts were quite substantial.
TAPE 93-52, SIDE B
Number 000
BOB WEINSTEIN, SUPERINTENDENT OF THE SOUTHEAST ISLAND ALASKA
SCHOOL DISTRICT, testified via teleconference from Ketchikan
on HB 174. He said the district had no official position on
the bill. He said it appeared appropriate for state policy
makers to ensure that state education funds were spent as
efficiently as possible. He urged that decisions on
consolidation be made only after considering all pertinent
information. He said it might be inappropriate to set the
district minimum at 1,000 students, because that might limit
options, especially considering cultural or other factors.
Number 053
BOBETTE BUSH, INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT OF THE KUSPUK SCHOOL
DISTRICT, testified via teleconference from Aniak on HB 174.
She said she did not understand why REAAs were being singled
out when they often have more students than some city school
districts.
CHAIR BUNDE said that in some cases administration costs are
extremely high for REAAs. He referred to the Lower
Kuskokwim school district, with an ADM (average daily
membership) of 3,000 students and $2.5 million in
administrative costs, compared to the Mat-Su school
district, which had 10,000 students and $3 million in
administrative costs.
Number 073
MS. BUSH asked whether the same logic could not also apply
to very small city school districts.
CHAIR BUNDE said he was not the sponsor of HB 174, but his
personal preference would be to have the bill apply as
equally across the state as possible. He said Ms. Bush
might not have heard the earlier announcement that the bill
would be held and worked on over the interim.
Number 084
MS. BUSH disputed assertions made in a previous committee
meeting that REAAs provided no local contribution for their
state educational funding. She said that her REAA
contributed 15 percent of its basic needs to the state in
PL-874 funds.
Number 098
CHAIR BUNDE said that was a good point and it would be
considered. He noted, however, that the discussion in the
previous day's meeting was on matching grants for capital
projects.
REP. TOOHEY asked what PL-874 funds were.
CHAIR BUNDE reminded her that the funds were federal funds
paid to a state on behalf of military or Indian lands that
would not otherwise provide tax revenue for schools.
REP. NICHOLIA pointed out that the Mat-Su school district
was on the road system and had milder weather, which made
many costs lower than those of the Kuspuk school district.
MS. BUSH agreed and added that providing an equal level of
services to remote schools cost a lot of money.
REP. NICHOLIA asked whether such costs were budgeted as part
of the administrative costs.
MS. BUSH answered yes, the school board and school
superintendent's travel budgets paid for much travel to the
remote schools.
Number 148
RON DELAY, SUPERINTENDENT OF THE TANANA SCHOOL DISTRICT,
testified via teleconference from Tanana on HB 174. He said
he had studied the conclusions of the legislative audit
report on consolidation and cited its recommendation that a
more compelling case needed to be made for consolidation,
given the minor savings and loss of important local control
that consolidation would cause.
Number 174
PAUL THIBODEAU testified via teleconference from Craig in
opposition to HB 174. He said he would echo the comments of
Mr. Rose. He said the Craig local school district's
administration costs were the lowest in the state. He noted
that consolidation would not solve the many problems of
small school districts. He said local control worked well
in Craig, and the community had directed a one percent fish
sales tax toward education, demonstrating that the community
was taking responsibility for its children.
CHAIR BUNDE noted there were two observers on-line from Tok.
Number 218
REP. BRICE asked Mr. Delay to describe all the duties he
performed as superintendent.
MR. DELAY answered that his duties as superintendent covered
a wide range, including managing the instructional program,
voc-ed, special-ed, teaching, bi-lingual education, district
administration, management, planning, facilities and federal
programs.
Number 265
BILL MILLER, SUPERINTENDENT OF THE GALENA CITY SCHOOL
DISTRICT, testified via teleconference from Galena in
opposition to HB 174. He asked if first-class cities'
school districts were not covered by the bill.
CHAIR BUNDE said that was the intent of an as-yet unadopted
amendment.
Number 270
MR. MILLER stated that Galena had voted in a school tax 15
years ago because the community wanted local control,
control they still want to retain. He cited a study in the
state of Washington which showed that larger school
districts paid more per student on central office
expenditures than smaller districts.
MR. MILLER explained that central offices had many
functions, such as curriculum, activities, and personnel,
which were performed by superintendents in smaller school
districts. He noted that superintendents and principals
perform different jobs. He said on-site superintendents for
a single school district are more likely to work harder to
seek grant money than superintendents of consolidated school
districts.
MR. MILLER mentioned the Interior School Boards Association,
an association of school boards of school districts on the
state road system, including Galena, Tanana, Nenana, Delta-
Greely and others, which has been meeting for three years to
find ways to cut costs. He said the association was finding
ways to share services while still maintaining local
control. He stated that as the superintendent's job in
Galena was open, the school board had seriously considered
contracting out the services of a superintendent and had
asked for proposals, but then decided against the plan. He
said the district would apply for a $100,000 cooperative
agreement grant to seek ways to save money.
MR. MILLER noted that the achievement scores for the
district were above the 50 percentile, and no students
dropped out in 1992 despite the fact that many students
might be considered high risk students. He cited another
study that said school consolidation in the 20th century
might have hurt the cause of learning.
Number 367
CHAIR BUNDE referred to a chart which said that Galena, with
an ADM of 156 students, employed 1.5 administrative
staffers. He compared that to the Hydaburg school district,
which had almost three administrative staffers for an ADM of
117 students; and St. Marys, which had six administrative
staffers for an ADM of 127 students.
Number 377
LEO MORGAN, PRESIDENT OF KUSPUK SCHOOLS, testified via
teleconference from Aniak in opposition to HB 174. He said
he would echo the testimony of Ms. Bush. He said there were
too many unanswered issues concerning consolidation. He
noted the Iditarod and Kuspuk school districts both had
contracts with their teachers and asked how such issues
would be settled if the bill was passed and the districts
were consolidated. He said that it seemed like the remote
school districts received a lot of money, but prices in some
remote areas were two or three times higher than in
Anchorage.
Number 400
REP. NICHOLIA asked Mr. Anderson how many people were
employed in the central office of the Anchorage School
District (ASD) and how much it cost. She also asked why
there were more people employed in the ASD central office
than in the Department of Education.
MR. ANDERSON answered that, according to information he had
received from Mr. Rose, there were approximately 26
administrative staffers at the ASD central office, not
including principals. He said the pay for ASD
administrators, including principals, was slightly less than
$10 million. He stated that Rep. Martin had another bill
concerning the elimination of unnecessary chief school
administrators that might be of interest to Rep. Nicholia.
Seeing no further business before the committee, CHAIR BUNDE
ADJOURNED the meeting at 4:45 p.m.
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