CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 57(FIN) "An Act relating to parental involvement in education; adjusting pupil transportation funding; amending the time required for employers to give tenured teachers notification of their nonretention; and providing for an effective date." 10:43:15 AM Representative Costello moved HCS CSSB 57(EDC) before the committee. TIM LAMKIN, STAFF, SENATOR GARY STEVENS, communicated that the bill did three things. First, there was an increasing body of evidence that it was critical for children to be proficient in reading by the third grade. He shared that many states had policies to address the issue including identification in the form of assessments; intervention with programs such as summer school or home reading programs; and retention (holding students back a grade level). He noted that identification, intervention, and retention all fell under local control. The bill would allow for the state to take action by providing information to parents about the importance of reading proficiency by grade 3. Pamphlets including the information would be provided to districts to inform parents of the importance of their involvement including reading at home. The bill also required the department to establish a media campaign. Mr. Lamkin addressed the second component of the bill related to layoff notifications for tenured teachers. He detailed that March 16 had been established as the date as early as 1949. He communicated that the legislature rarely knew what the budget would look like by March 16. Subsequently requiring districts to provide notification to teachers by March 16 without knowing the next year's budget caused unnecessary angst. The bill would change the date to May 15 in order to accommodate the legislative session schedule and to provide districts with flexibility. Mr. Lamkin addressed the third component of the legislation related to pupil transportation. He discussed that the legislature had come close to passing an annual Consumer Price Index adjustment for pupil transportation contracts. He explained that districts had the pupil transportation adjustments built into their contracts; therefore, the money would ultimately come out of classrooms if funding was not provided. The provision would provide a three-year funding mechanism for an adjustment in inflation, which would sunset with the anticipation of a statewide contract. 10:47:04 AM Representative Wilson referred to a literacy blue print that had been funded the prior year. She wondered whether the item fell into the K-3 parent information. Mr. Lamkin deferred the question to the department. Vice-Chair Neuman OPENED public testimony. BRUCE JOHNSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALASKA COUNCIL OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, spoke in support of the bill. He stated that early literacy was critically important for future school and life success. He relayed that the layoff provision would provide increased flexibility in the issuance of pink slips and layoffs under consideration. The change would also provide more time for a teacher under review to show improvement. He relayed that most contracts were issued beginning in February in rural districts as they prepared for the following year and attending the job fair that was currently underway in Anchorage. He detailed that many teachers were offered contracts as soon as the district knew it was in the clear financially. He relayed that the districts would not be waiting until May 15 to offer contracts. He spoke to the importance of the pupil transportation issue; the transportation was costly and money would be taken from classrooms if the legislature did not provide funding. 10:49:37 AM Representative Wilson asked whether there were districts that did not provide information on the importance of reading. Mr. Johnson believed every district did address the issue, but perhaps not in a formal or written way. Vice-Chair Neuman CLOSED public testimony. Representative Costello spoke to the three fiscal notes. Fiscal Note 2 from the Department of Education and Early Development had a zero impact. A new fiscal note from the Department of Education and Early Development had an impact of $736,300 in FY 14, $1,502,000 in FY 15, $3,435,800 in FY 16 through FY 19. Fiscal Note 4 from the Department of Education and Early Development had an impact of $45,400 in FY 14 through FY 19. Representative Wilson added that the legislature had increased funding for literacy in the budget for the upcoming year. She hoped the department would work with the districts on utilizing the funds. Representative Wilson MOVED to REPORT HCS CSSB 57 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. HCS CSSB 57 was REPORTED out of committee with a "do pass" recommendation and with one new fiscal impact note from Department of Education and Early Development; one previously published fiscal note: FN2(EED); and one previously published zero note: FN4(EED). 10:52:47 AM AT EASE 10:56:18 AM RECONVENED Co-Chair Stoltze resumed as meeting chair. 10:56:28 AM AT EASE 11:00:33 AM RECONVENED