1997-02-12                     Senate Journal                      Page 0308
SB 29                                                                        
The bill is on todays calendar.                                                
                                                                               
                                                                               
                  INTRODUCTION AND REFERENCE OF SENATE BILLS                 
                                                                               
SB 85                                                                        
SENATE BILL NO. 85 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                               
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                          
                                                                               
An Act relating to the public school funding                                  
program; repealing the public school foundation                                
program; relating to the definition of school district,                        
to the transportation of students, to school district                          
layoff plans, to the special education service agency,                         
to the child care grant program, and to compulsory                             
attendance in public schools; and providing for an                             
effective date.                                                                
                                                                               
was read the first time and referred to the Health, Education and              
Social Services and Finance Committees.                                        
                                                                               
Fiscal note published today from Department of Education.                      
                                                                               
Governors transmittal letter dated February 12:                                
                                                                               
Dear President Miller:                                                         
                                                                               
Providing Alaskas children with the top-notch quality education they           
deserve must be a priority of my administration and the legislature.           
I am therefore pleased to send you today this proposal to overhaul             
the Public School Foundation Program.  This new approach to our                
school funding will help us fulfill our promise to the states children         
and our childrens future.                                                      
                                                                               
The proposed foundation formula distributes the states wealth among            
our 53 school districts in a fairer and easier to understand method            
than our current system.  It also, for the first time, requires our            
school districts to be accountable for providing a quality education           
for all our children,  regardless of  whether they attend the smallest         
or the largest school in our state.