HB 256: "An Act relating to public school students connected to the military; relating to school funding for purple star designations; and providing for an effective date."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 256 01 "An Act relating to public school students connected to the military; relating to school 02 funding for purple star designations; and providing for an effective date." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 * Section 1. AS 14.17.410(b) is amended to read: 05 (b) Public school funding consists of state aid, a required local contribution, 06 and eligible federal impact aid determined as follows: 07 (1) state aid equals basic need minus a required local contribution and 08 90 percent of eligible federal impact aid for that fiscal year; basic need equals the sum 09 obtained under (D) of this paragraph, multiplied by the base student allocation set out 10 in AS 14.17.470; district adjusted ADM is calculated as follows: 11 (A) the ADM of each school in the district is calculated by 12 applying the school size factor to the student count as set out in AS 14.17.450; 13 (B) the number obtained under (A) of this paragraph is 14 multiplied by the district cost factor described in AS 14.17.460;
01 (C) the ADMs of each school in a district, as adjusted 02 according to (A) and (B) of this paragraph, are added; the sum is then 03 multiplied by the special needs factor set out in AS 14.17.420(a)(1), [AND] the 04 secondary school vocational and technical instruction funding factor set out in 05 AS 14.17.420(a)(3), and the purple star funding factor set out in 06 AS 14.17.420(a)(4); 07 (D) the number obtained for intensive services under 08 AS 14.17.420(a)(2) and the number obtained for correspondence study under 09 AS 14.17.430 are added to the number obtained under (C) of this paragraph or 10 under (H) and (I) of this paragraph; 11 (E) notwithstanding (A) - (C) of this paragraph, if a school 12 district's ADM adjusted for school size under (A) of this paragraph decreases 13 by five percent or more from one fiscal year to the next fiscal year, the school 14 district may use the last fiscal year before the decrease as a base fiscal year to 15 offset the decrease, according to the following method: 16 (i) for the first fiscal year after the base fiscal year 17 determined under this subparagraph, the school district's ADM adjusted 18 for school size determined under (A) of this paragraph is calculated as 19 the district's ADM adjusted for school size, plus 75 percent of the 20 difference in the district's ADM adjusted for school size between the 21 base fiscal year and the first fiscal year after the base fiscal year; 22 (ii) for the second fiscal year after the base fiscal year 23 determined under this subparagraph, the school district's ADM adjusted 24 for school size determined under (A) of this paragraph is calculated as 25 the district's ADM adjusted for school size, plus 50 percent of the 26 difference in the district's ADM adjusted for school size between the 27 base fiscal year and the second fiscal year after the base fiscal year; 28 (iii) for the third fiscal year after the base fiscal year 29 determined under this subparagraph, the school district's ADM adjusted 30 for school size determined under (A) of this paragraph is calculated as 31 the district's ADM adjusted for school size, plus 25 percent of the
01 difference in the district's ADM adjusted for school size between the 02 base fiscal year and the third fiscal year after the base fiscal year; 03 (F) the method established in (E) of this paragraph is available 04 to a school district for the three fiscal years following the base fiscal year 05 determined under (E) of this paragraph only if the district's ADM adjusted for 06 school size determined under (A) of this paragraph for each fiscal year is less 07 than the district's ADM adjusted for school size in the base fiscal year; 08 (G) the method established in (E) of this paragraph does not 09 apply to a decrease in the district's ADM adjusted for school size resulting 10 from a loss of enrollment that occurs as a result of a boundary change under 11 AS 29; 12 (H) notwithstanding (A) - (C) of this paragraph, if one or more 13 schools close and consolidate with one or more other schools in the same 14 community and district and, as a result of the consolidation, basic need 15 generated by the district's ADM of the consolidated schools as adjusted under 16 (A) - (C) of this paragraph decreases, the district may use the last fiscal year 17 before the consolidation as the base fiscal year to offset that decrease for the 18 first four fiscal years following consolidation according to the following 19 method: 20 (i) for the first two fiscal years after the base fiscal year, 21 the district's ADM of the consolidated schools as adjusted under (A) - 22 (C) of this paragraph is calculated by dividing the sum of the district's 23 ADM of the consolidated schools as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this 24 paragraph for the base fiscal year by the sum of the district's ADM of 25 the consolidated schools for the base fiscal year without adjustment, 26 and subtracting the quotient obtained by dividing the district's ADM of 27 the consolidated schools for the current fiscal year as adjusted under 28 (A) - (C) of this paragraph by the sum of the district's ADM of the 29 consolidated schools for the current fiscal year without adjustment, 30 multiplying that number by the sum of the district's ADM of the 31 consolidated schools for the current fiscal year without adjustment, and
01 adding that number to the sum of the district's ADM of the consolidated 02 schools for the current fiscal year as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this 03 paragraph; 04 (ii) for the third fiscal year after the base fiscal year, the 05 district's ADM of the consolidated schools as adjusted under (A) - (C) 06 of this paragraph is calculated by dividing the sum of the district's 07 ADM of the consolidated schools as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this 08 paragraph for the base fiscal year by the sum of the district's ADM of 09 the consolidated schools for the base fiscal year without adjustment, 10 and subtracting the quotient obtained by dividing the sum of the 11 district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the current fiscal year as 12 adjusted under (A) - (C) of this paragraph by the sum of the district's 13 ADM of the consolidated schools for the current fiscal year, 14 multiplying that number by the sum of the district's ADM of the 15 consolidated schools for the current fiscal year without adjustment, 16 multiplying that number by 66 percent, and adding that number to the 17 sum of the district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the current 18 fiscal year as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this paragraph; 19 (iii) for the fourth fiscal year after the base fiscal year, 20 the district's ADM of the consolidated schools as adjusted under (A) - 21 (C) of this paragraph is calculated by dividing the sum of the district's 22 ADM of the consolidated schools as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this 23 paragraph for the base fiscal year by the sum of the district's ADM of 24 the consolidated schools for the base fiscal year without adjustment, 25 and subtracting the quotient obtained by dividing the sum of the 26 district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the current fiscal year as 27 adjusted under (A) - (C) of this paragraph by the sum of the district's 28 ADM of the consolidated schools for the current fiscal year, 29 multiplying that number by the sum of the district's ADM of the 30 consolidated schools for the current fiscal year without adjustment, 31 multiplying that number by 33 percent, and adding that number to the
01 sum of the district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the current 02 fiscal year as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this paragraph; 03 (iv) to calculate the district's basic need for each fiscal 04 year, the number obtained through the calculation in (i), (ii), or (iii) of 05 this subparagraph is added to the number obtained under (C) of this 06 paragraph for the remainder of the district; 07 (I) if the basic need calculated under (H)(i) - (iii) of this 08 paragraph for one of the first four fiscal years after consolidation is less than 09 the basic need calculated under (A) - (C) of this paragraph for that fiscal year, 10 the basic need may not be adjusted under (H) of this paragraph for that fiscal 11 year; 12 (J) a district may not offset a decrease under (H) of this 13 paragraph if 14 (i) a new facility is constructed in the district for the 15 consolidation; or 16 (ii) the district offset a decrease under (E) of this 17 paragraph in the same fiscal year; 18 (K) a district that offsets a decrease under (H) of this paragraph 19 may not reopen a school that was closed for consolidation in the district until 20 (i) seven or more years have passed since the school 21 closure; and 22 (ii) the district provides evidence satisfactory to the 23 department that the schools affected by the consolidation are over 24 capacity; 25 (L) a district may not reopen and reconsolidate a school that 26 was consolidated in the district more than once every seven years for purposes 27 of the calculations made under (H) of this paragraph; 28 (M) a district offsetting a decrease under (H) of this paragraph 29 shall provide the department with the list of schools participating in the 30 consolidation and the corresponding ADM; 31 (2) the required local contribution of a city or borough school district is
01 the equivalent of a 2.65 mill tax levy on the full and true value of the taxable real and 02 personal property in the district as of January 1 of the second preceding fiscal year, as 03 determined by the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic 04 Development under AS 14.17.510 and AS 29.45.110, not to exceed 45 percent of a 05 district's basic need for the preceding fiscal year as determined under (1) of this 06 subsection. 07 * Sec. 2. AS 14.17.420(a) is amended to read: 08 (a) As a component of public school funding, a district is eligible for special 09 needs, [AND] secondary school vocational and technical instruction, and purple star 10 funding and may be eligible for intensive services funding as follows: 11 (1) special needs funding is available to a district to assist the district 12 in providing special education, gifted and talented education, vocational education, 13 and bilingual education services to its students; a special needs funding factor of 1.20 14 shall be applied as set out in AS 14.17.410(b)(1); 15 (2) in addition to the special needs funding for which a district is 16 eligible under (1) of this subsection, a district is eligible for intensive services funding 17 for each special education student who needs and receives intensive services and is 18 enrolled on the last day of the count period; for each such student, intensive services 19 funding is equal to the intensive student count multiplied by 13; 20 (3) in addition to the special needs and intensive services funding 21 available under (1) and (2) of this subsection, secondary school vocational and 22 technical instruction funding is available to assist districts in providing vocational and 23 technical instruction to students who are enrolled in a secondary school; a secondary 24 school vocational and technical instruction funding factor of 1.015 shall be applied as 25 set out in AS 14.17.410(b)(1); in this paragraph, "vocational and technical instruction" 26 excludes costs associated with 27 (A) administrative expenses; and 28 (B) instruction in general literacy, mathematics, and job 29 readiness skills; 30 (4) in addition to the special needs and intensive services funding 31 and secondary school vocational and technical instruction funding available
01 under (1) - (3) of this subsection, purple star funding is available to a district in 02 which 75 percent or more of the district's schools have a purple star awarded 03 under AS 14.34.100; a purple star funding factor of 1.75 shall be applied as set 04 out in AS 14.17.410(b)(1). 05 * Sec. 3. AS 14.17.440(a) is amended to read: 06 (a) Except as provided in AS 14.17.400(b), funding for state boarding schools 07 established under AS 14.16.010 includes an allocation from the public education fund 08 in an amount calculated by 09 (1) determining the ADM of state boarding schools by applying the 10 school size factor to the student count as described in AS 14.17.450; 11 (2) multiplying the number obtained under (1) of this subsection by the 12 special needs factor in AS 14.17.420(a)(1), [AND] the secondary school vocational 13 and technical instruction funding factor set out in AS 14.17.420(a)(3), and the purple 14 star funding factor set out in AS 14.17.420(a)(4) and multiplying that product by the 15 base student allocation; and 16 (3) multiplying the product determined under (2) of this subsection by 17 the district cost factor that is applicable to calculation of the state aid for the adjacent 18 school district under AS 14.17.460. 19 * Sec. 4. AS 14.30 is amended by adding a new section to read: 20 Sec. 14.30.287. Accommodation requirements for children of military 21 families. (a) If the parent or guardian of a student who is the child of an active duty 22 member of the uniformed services and who was receiving accommodations provided 23 under 20 U.S.C. 1400 - 1482 or 29 U.S.C. 794 before transferring to a school district 24 in this state provides documentation that the student was receiving the 25 accommodations before the student's first day of attendance in the school district, the 26 school district shall take necessary steps to ensure that the student begins receiving 27 comparable accommodations on the first day of attendance, including requesting the 28 transfer of school records, evaluations, and meeting notes. If a student is enrolled in a 29 school district as allowed under AS 14.03.080(g), the school district shall accept 30 written documentation of a student's accommodations provided under an 31 individualized education program or section 504 plan before the student's arrival in the
01 school district and shall make a reasonable effort to ensure that comparable 02 accommodations are in place on the student's first day of attendance in the school 03 district. Not later than 30 days after the student's first day of attendance in the school 04 district, the school district shall either adopt the student's former individualized 05 education program or section 504 plan and begin providing the services or 06 accommodations provided under the individualized education program or section 504 07 plan or develop and complete a new individualized education program or section 504 08 plan. Whenever possible, the school district shall use existing evaluations in the 09 development of a new individualized education program or section 504 plan. If the 10 school district determines that additional evaluations are necessary to develop and 11 complete a new individualized education program or section 504 plan, the evaluations 12 shall occur not later than 30 school days after the student's first day attending school in 13 the school district, subject to the written informed consent of the student's parent or 14 guardian as provided for in AS 14.30.191. 15 (b) A school district shall take reasonable steps to provide a physical copy of a 16 student's school records to a student who is the child of an active duty member of the 17 uniformed services and who is transferring out of the school district because the parent 18 or guardian has been transferred or is pending transfer from a military installation in 19 the state to another military installation. 20 (c) A school district shall take reasonable steps to notify the parent or guardian 21 of a student who is the child of an active duty member of the uniformed services of the 22 requirements of this section. 23 (d) In this section, 24 (1) "active duty" and "uniformed services" have the meanings given in 25 AS 14.34.030(g); 26 (2) "military installation" has the meaning given in AS 14.03.080(g); 27 (3) "section 504 plan" means a plan developed as required under 29 28 U.S.C. 794 (sec. 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973). 29 * Sec. 5. AS 14.34.030 is amended to read: 30 Sec. 14.34.030. State council on educational opportunity for military 31 children. The board shall designate a subcommittee of its membership to comprise
01 the state council on educational opportunity for military children, which shall 02 serve as the state council required under AS 14.34.010. Consistent with state law, the 03 board shall designate other persons to serve on the subcommittee to complete the 04 representation required by the compact established under AS 14.34.010. 05 * Sec. 6. AS 14.34.030 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 06 (b) The council shall 07 (1) assist state and local education agencies with 08 (A) promoting and communicating the provisions of this 09 chapter to public school district officials and military families; 10 (B) orienting and training district military education 11 coordinators on provisions of this chapter; 12 (C) developing and administering programs that inform 13 military families of the need for self-identification in order to ensure an 14 accurate accounting of the children of military families enrolled in public 15 schools; and 16 (D) developing and administering programs that recognize 17 education agencies, public schools, and leaders who have established or 18 contributed to programs facilitating successful school transitions of children of 19 military families; 20 (2) at least once a year, hold a public forum in a military community to 21 receive feedback regarding the effectiveness of the provisions of this chapter; the 22 public forum may be held in person or virtually; 23 (3) submit an annual report on a date determined by the council to the 24 governor, the board, and the education committee of each house of the legislature that 25 includes 26 (A) information describing the achievements of the council and 27 school districts regarding the support provided to military families under this 28 chapter; 29 (B) details of the reports provided by the council to the 30 Interstate Commission on Educational Opportunity for Military Children as 31 provided for under AS 14.34.010;
01 (C) the number of children in military families in each school 02 district who transferred to or from another state or federal education agency in 03 the previous year; 04 (D) information regarding training provided to school district 05 personnel with respect to this chapter; 06 (E) details regarding plans for future engagement efforts with 07 military families under this chapter; and 08 (F) other information the council considers relevant. 09 (c) The council may 10 (1) form committees to carry out its functions; 11 (2) enlist volunteer participation by individuals or organizations to 12 assist in development and execution of programs; 13 (3) provide recommendations to the department regarding bills before 14 the legislature to amend this chapter and efforts to amend regulations applicable to the 15 department and school districts under this chapter. 16 (d) A majority of council members constitute a quorum. 17 (e) The council shall meet at least quarterly but may meet more often as 18 determined by a majority of the members or at the call of the chair. 19 (f) The department shall provide staff and administrative support for the 20 council. 21 (g) In this section, 22 (1) "active duty" means full-time duty status in the active uniformed 23 service of the United States, including members of the National Guard and Reserve on 24 active duty orders under 10 U.S.C. 1209 and 1211; 25 (2) "children of military families" means one or more school-aged 26 children, enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade, in the household of an active 27 duty member; 28 (3) "council" or "state council" means the state council on educational 29 opportunity for military children; 30 (4) "federal education agency" means a public authority legally 31 constituted by the federal government as an administrative agency to provide control
01 of and direction for kindergarten through 12th grade public educational institutions; 02 (5) "transition" means the formal and physical process of transferring 03 from school to school and the period of time in which a student moves from one 04 school in the sending state to another school in the receiving state; 05 (6) "uniformed services" means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine 06 Corps, Coast Guard, Space Force, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 07 Commissioned Officer Corps, and United States Public Health Services 08 Commissioned Corps. 09 * Sec. 7. AS 14.34 is amended by adding new sections to read: 10 Article 2. Children of Military Families. 11 Sec. 14.34.100. Purple star schools. (a) The department shall establish a 12 process for recognizing public and private schools that show commitment to military- 13 connected students and families as purple star schools. A purple star is valid for three 14 years and may be renewed upon application by the school. A school may reapply for a 15 purple star after an earlier application has been denied. A school shall maintain 16 records demonstrating completion and maintenance of the requirements to receive a 17 purple star and shall provide the records to the department upon request of the 18 department. 19 (b) The department shall award a purple star to a public or private school that 20 has enrolled military-connected students if the school 21 (1) applies for a purple star on an application made available on the 22 department's Internet website; 23 (2) designates a school counselor, teacher, administrator, or support 24 staff member who has completed training provided by the school on the unique needs 25 of military-connected students and families to serve as a military point of contact for 26 the school; the school must assign the military point of contact the duties to 27 (A) support military-connected students and families by 28 serving as the point of contact for and working collaboratively with military- 29 connected students and families, the school, and military personnel; 30 (B) maintain familiarity with existing community and military 31 installation resources and the school's enrollment and withdrawal procedures,
01 records transfers, and student supports; and 02 (C) provide additional resources for school personnel on issues 03 related to military-connected students; 04 (3) publishes information and resources for military-connected 05 students and families on the school's Internet website; the information may include 06 details on enrollment, registration, transfer, and withdrawal procedures, the Interstate 07 Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, special education services 08 and 29 U.S.C. 794 (sec. 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973), available student counseling 09 and support services, and opportunities for parental involvement and engagement; 10 (4) provides a list of resources describing the available academic, 11 social, and emotional supports the school provides to assist military-connected 12 students; 13 (5) submits to the local school board a copy of the school's application 14 for a purple star as well as a resolution supporting military-connected students. 15 (c) A public or private school that does not have enrolled military-connected 16 students qualifies for a purple star if the school submits in its purple star application 17 evidence that the school 18 (1) emphasizes the importance and honor of military service; evidence 19 may include holding Veterans Day assemblies, celebrating Armed Forces Day, hosting 20 patriotic events, letter writing campaigns, and care package drives, partnering with 21 veteran organizations, inviting local military personnel to speak, maintaining a wall 22 that honors veterans, recognizing Military Appreciation Month, and producing public 23 service announcements that highlight the value of military service; 24 (2) recognizes veterans' service to the country and accomplishments, 25 active duty and reserve military personnel, and national guard personnel in the 26 school's community; 27 (3) sponsors special events to recognize military service; 28 (4) celebrates students who have committed to serving in the military; 29 and 30 (5) has submitted to the local school board the school's application for 31 a purple star as well as a resolution supporting military-connected students.
01 (d) In this section, 02 (1) "military installation" has the meaning given in AS 14.03.080(g); 03 (2) "military-connected student" means a student who is a dependent 04 of a current or former member of the armed forces of the United States, a reserve unit 05 of the armed forces of the United States, or the Alaska National Guard or who was a 06 dependent of a member of the armed forces of the United States, a reserve unit of the 07 armed forces of the United States, or the Alaska National Guard who was killed in the 08 line of duty. 09 Sec. 14.34.110. Purple star and military children coordinator. The 10 department shall establish a position dedicated to coordinating and supporting the 11 purple star process. The position will serve as the designated compact administrator 12 for the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children 13 established under AS 14.34.010. The compact administrator shall cooperate with all 14 departments, agencies, and officers of and in the government of this state and its 15 subdivisions in facilitating the proper administration of the compact or of a 16 supplementary agreement entered into by this state. 17 Sec. 14.34.120. Priority in open enrollment policies. If a school district has a 18 policy that allows a child who resides inside or outside of the school district's 19 boundary area to attend a school in the school district that is selected by the student's 20 parent or guardian and the student is the child of an active duty member of the 21 uniformed services as defined in AS 14.34.030(g), the policy must include a provision 22 that 23 (1) ensures the student is not disadvantaged in the admissions process 24 because of the student's location or the date the enrollment is requested; and 25 (2) allows the student to remain at the school through completion of 26 the highest grade level at the school. 27 * Sec. 8. AS 14.34.020 is repealed. 28 * Sec. 9. This Act takes effect July 1, 2026.