Legislature(1993 - 1994)
1993-01-22 Senate Journal
Full Journal pdf1993-01-22 Senate Journal Page 0130 SB 61 SENATE BILL NO. 61 by the Senate Rules Committee by request of the Governor, entitled: "An Act implementing certain recommendations of Alaska 2000 to improve the state's education system; and providing for an effective date." was read the first time and referred to the Health, Education and Social Services Committee and the Finance Committee. Fiscal note published today from Department of Education. Governor's transmittal letter dated January 22: Dear Mr. President: Under the authority of art. III, sec. 18, of the Alaska Constitution, I am transmitting a bill that makes significant changes to our public education system. This bill is an outgrowth of the work of many Alaskans to improve our public education through Alaska 2000. Through Alaska 2000, a cross section of Alaskans met during 1992 to examine our school system and to make recommendations to the 1993-01-22 Senate Journal Page 0131 SB 61 state Board of Education and the governor to improve the quality of public school education for our children. The state board has reviewed the recommendations and has chosen five as high-priority proposals to present for legislative consideration. This bill, if enacted into law, implements those proposals. The first proposal concerns extending the existing mandatory 180-day school year to 200 days by the year 2000. This would allow our children to have 20 additional classroom days of teaching. The imposition of a 200-day school year should help achieve higher educational performance so that our children can have the tools to compete in today's complex society. See secs. 2 and 3 of the bill. The second proposal would amend the existing statute that creates the fund for the improvement of school performance, to allow the commissioner to make grants to any appropriate organization or person to improve our schools. The existing statute limits the commissioner to granting only to school districts. Additionally, the bill would remove the $50,000 restriction on the maximum grant amount and would increase by one the number of years in which the same grantee could receive a grant. These provisions should increase flexibility to award grants to the best qualified organization or group in an amount that can get the job done. The state Board of Education would be required to adopt regulations to ensure efficient and effective administration of the program. See secs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the bill. The third proposal would mandate citizen advisory boards in virtually all school districts in the state. Presently, some school districts have opted to do so on a voluntary basis and have found the advisory boards extremely helpful in keeping the local school boards advised on local community needs and concerns. With some exceptions, the bill would mandate the procedure so that all local school districts can have the benefit of an advisory board. See sec. 8 of the bill. 1993-01-22 Senate Journal Page 0132 SB 61 The fourth proposal would change the procedure by which new teachers obtain tenure rights to employment after June 30, 1993. The bill would add a mechanism for increased public involvement in tenure decisions and would encourage more thorough and thoughtful evaluation of teachers by their supervisors. While I recognize that this proposal might be controversial, it serves a valuable function in that it ensures that only teachers who have shown their ability to teach earn the right to tenure in our public schools. This should play a key role in improving our educational system in the future. See secs. 9, 10, and 11 of the bill. The fifth proposal allows for the establishment of a pilot project for the creation of up to 40 charter schools within our public school system. A charter school would be authorized by a contract between a local school board and the board of directors of the charter school, with the approval of the state Board of Education. These charter schools can focus on a unique educational philosophy or teaching curriculum to meet the needs of the students enrolled in the school. The provisions of the bill that authorize the program will "sunset" July 1, 1996, although a charter school contract could extend to July 1, 1999. The legislature will have the opportunity to scrutinize the success of the pilot program to determine whether it should be reauthorized through new legislation. See secs. 12 - 20 and sec. 25 of the bill. All of the above substantive changes, except for the phased-in changes in school term length in secs. 2 and 3, would take effect July 1, 1993. The phased-in changes in school term length would take effect July 1, 1994. See secs. 23 and 24. Finally, sec. 21 would give transitional authority to allow the state Board of Education to begin the process to adopt regulations as soon as the bill is signed into law; the new regulations cannot take effect before the respective effective dates of the relevant sections of this bill. Section 22 of the bill would give this transition section an immediate effective date. 1993-01-22 Senate Journal Page 0133 SB 61 Alaska's children are Alaska's future. Providing them a quality education is an investment that we must make, and is an investment that will benefit all of us. I urge your support of this important legislation. Sincerely, /s/ Walter J. Hickel Governor