Legislature(1993 - 1994)
04/06/1993 07:35 PM Senate CRA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SENATE COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
April 6, 1993
7:35 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Randy Phillips, Chairman
Senator Loren Leman
Senator Al Adams
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Robin Taylor, Vice Chairman
Senator Fred Zharoff
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 62
"An Act relating to the public school foundation program;
and providing for an effective date."
PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION
SB 62 - See Community & Regional Affairs minutes dated
2/18/93, 4/1/93 & 4/6/93 (A.M. Mtg.)
WITNESS REGISTER
George Holcomb
1689 C St., Suite 147
Anchorage, AK 99501
POSITION STATEMENT: Supports CSSB 62(CRA)
Joe Beckford, Superintendent of Schools
City of Unalaska
P.O. Box 89
Unalaska, AK 99685
POSITION STATEMENT: Offered comments on CSSB 62(CRA)
Bruce Stanton
177 Shoup St., South
Ketchikan, AK 99901
POSITION STATEMENT: Supports AK School Price Index
Sherily Braspemincky
1689 C St., Suite 147
Anchorage, AK 99501
POSITION STATEMENT: Supports AK School Price Index
Sharon Norton
8302 S. Tongass Highway
Ketchikan, AK 99901
POSITION STATEMENT: Supports original SB 62
Kathi Gillespie
2741 Seaparen Hoop
Anchorage, AK 99516
POSITION STATEMENT: Offered comments on SB 62
Karen Bitzer
6920 Serenity Circle
Anchorage, AK 999502
POSITION STATEMENT: Supports CSSB 62(CRA)
John Holst, Superintendent
Craig City Schools
Craig, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed to CSSB 62(CRA)
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 93-20, SIDE A
Number 001
The Senate Community & Regional Affairs Committee was called
to order by Chairman Randy Phillips at 7:35 p.m. He
informed the witnesses waiting to testify via the
legislative teleconference network on SB 62 that committee
members would have to return to the Senate floor where the
operating budget was being debated, but that staff would be
recording the meeting and taking notes on the participants'
testimony.
Number 055
JERRY BURNETT, staff to Senator Randy Phillips, took over as
moderator for the meeting.
GEORGE HOLCOMB, President of the Anchorage Council
Education, one of the nine bargaining groups that represent
employees working for the Anchorage School District,
testified from Anchorage. He stated his support for the
draft committee substitute, saying they appreciate the
removal of the unequitable and unfair Alaska School Price
Index proposal that was contained in the original bill. He
said the Anchorage School District provides an education to
38 percent of the students in the state and they do it with
only 30 percent of the foundation funding. He also
expressed the district's appreciation for the removal of the
change in the weighing factor for gifted and talented
students. Under the original bill, over $750,000 would
have been reduced from their gifted and talented program.
Mr. Holcomb encouraged the committee to provide equitable
funding for the students of Anchorage and to support the
revised version of the bill.
Number 100
JOE BECKFORD, Superintendent of the Unalaska City School
District, testifying from Unalaska, said that Unalaska's
assessed evaluation has grown by leaps and bounds over the
last few years, but that hasn't been without a price. While
the assessed evaluation of Unalaska is very high, the
infrastructure to support that has not been put in place
yet. He requested that as the legislature looks at things
such as assessed evaluation and funding provisions that
address that assessed evaluation, to also look at the
infrastructure and the demands that are being put against
that assessed evaluation. He also suggested that the
legislature should look at the decentralization of districts
such as Anchorage and not the consolidation of small school
districts.
Number 150
BRUCE STANTON, Vice President of the Ketchikan Education
Association, testifying from Ketchikan, voiced support for
the Alaska School Price Index, saying it may be flawed, but
that it is an improvement over the current area cost
differential. Ketchikan has been at the cap for six years,
and they cannot spend any more money locally. Their area
cost differential is rated the same as Anchorage. He said
he agreed with the point that in some cases the Alaska
School Price Index does award those districts which have not
have been using their resources wisely, but he believes it
is an improvement. Mr. Stanton also spoke to moving the
cap, saying it's time to move in some other direction
instead of just asking the state for
more dollars every year.
Number 240
SHERILY BRASPEMINCKY, an employee of the Anchorage School
District and Vice President of the Anchorage Council of
Education, stated her support for the revised Alaska School
Price Index formula in a way that is more equitable for
Anchorage. Under the changes, Anchorage would receive an
increase of $5.9 million as opposed to the original bill
where they would have received $392,230. She also supports
the deletion from the committee substitute of the changes to
the funding formula for the gifted and talented program as
proposed in the original version of SB 62.
Number 255
SHARON NORTON, President, Ketchikan Education Association,
testifying from Ketchikan, said Ketchikan has been at the
cap for local funding for six years, and they have no where
to go. She said they need more education dollars just to
keep even. She stated her support for the original SB 62
because it would go a long way for providing equity in
public school funding in the state.
Number 272
KATHI GILLESPIE, representing the Alaska PTA and testifying
from Anchorage, expressed appreciation for full and early
funding of the foundation formula this year. She outlined
several funding issues that were adopted as part their
legislative program at the Alaska PTA 1992 convention, such
as public education as the primary responsibility of both
the state and local government units; the state funding
formula for education should be reformed to minimize
disparities created by local contribution and federal funds
among poor and wealthy districts; the state should provide
funding for districts adequate to enable them to provide
both basic educational programs and special programs
mandated by the state; their support for the concept of the
Alaska School Price Index; and consolidation of small school
districts and setting a minimum size for a school district.
Number 334
KAREN BITZER, representing the Anchorage Council of PTAs,
testifying from Anchorage, said Anchorage has long felt the
effects of inequitable treatment by the legislature with
regard to education funding. She stated the Council's
support for CSSB 62(CRA). They support the formula for
special needs and gifted students. The Anchorage School
District receives a high percentage of students with special
needs from various parts of the state. She said the
Anchorage Council of PTAs urges their representatives in the
legislature to work aggressively to bring home more fair and
equitable educational funding.
Number 365
JOHN HOLST, Superintendent, Craig City Schools, testifying
in Juneau, said consistently, small school districts across
the state have very low administrative costs. They do not
have large bureaucracies, they have administrators who teach
and do all kinds of other duties, so they are much more
efficient than a lot of other larger districts. He does not
support the committee substitute, saying it is flawed
legislation, and is an attempt to move a major portion of
funding from rural Alaska into the metropolitan areas. He
believes that when the Alaska School Price Index is in final
form, it will take care of the single site and other
equities in the current funding formula. He requested that
the original Alaska School Price Index be placed back into
the bill.
There being no other witnesses wishing to testify on SB 62,
the public hearing was closed and adjourned at 8:00 p.m.
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