1996-01-08                     Senate Journal                      Page 2060
SB 204                                                                       
SENATE BILL NO. 204 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                              
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                          
                                                                               
An Act relating to teacher evaluation, teacher                                
tenure, teacher continuing employment status,                                  
teacher layoff and rehire rights, and the rights of                            
teachers to obtain review of decisions of                                      
nonretention or dismissal; relating to public access                           
to certain information on, and public participation                            
in, public school collective bargaining; and                                   
providing for an effective date.                                               
                                                                               
was read the first time and referred to the State Affairs, Health,             
Education and Social Services and Judiciary Committees.                        
                                                                               
Zero fiscal note published today from Department of Education.                 
                                                                               
Governors transmittal letter dated January 8:                                  
                                                                               
Dear President Pearce:                                                         
                                                                               
Under the authority of art. III, sec. 18, of the Alaska Constitution,          
I am transmitting a bill that addresses a number of issues related to          
promoting professional excellence in education.                                
                                                                               
Last summer I vetoed similar legislation that was divisive and did             
not adequately address the real problems that face our educational             
system.  With my veto, I promised an opportunity to seek a                     
compromise with which the Alaska educational family would agree.               
A committee met and provided me with a proposal that addresses all             
of the issues contained in the vetoed legislation and that additionally        
highlights the importance of the evaluation process.  This legislation         
lengthens the probationary period for teachers; supports professional          
competence as a basis for achieving and maintaining "continuing                
employment status"; focuses on a strong supervision and evaluation             
process that provides special support for teachers new to the                  
profession; revises appeal procedures regarding dismissal and                  
nonretention decisions; provides for the development of locally                
determined procedures to address teacher layoff and recall; and                
increases public access to information on the collective bargaining            
process.