2003-03-06                     Senate Journal                      Page 0392
SB 107                                                                                            
SENATE BILL NO. 107 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                                   
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                                               
                                                                                                    
          "An Act relating to the state centralized                                                 
          correspondence study program, to funding for                                              
          educational programs that occur primarily outside                                         
          school facilities, and to the duties of school boards of                                  
          borough and city school districts and regional                                            
          educational attendance areas; and providing for an                                        
          effective date."                                                                          
                                                                                                    
was read the first time and referred to the Health, Education and Social                            
Services and Finance Committees.                                                                    
                                                                                                    
The following fiscal information was published today:                                               
 Fiscal Note No. 1, Department of Education and Early                                               
 Development                                                                                        
 Fiscal Note No. 2, Department of Education and Early                                               
 Development                                                                                        
                                                                                                    
Governor's transmittal letter dated March 5:                                                        
                                                                                                    
Dear President Therriault:                                                                          
                                                                                                    
Under the authority of art. III, sec. 18, of the Alaska Constitution, I am                          
transmitting a bill eliminating the Alyeska Central School program                                  
(ACS), the state's correspondence program.                                                          
                                                                                                    
Alyeska was once the state's only correspondence program offering                                   
education services to students statewide. The school began operations                               
in 1939 offering programs to students living in remote areas with no                                
local schools. However, there are 12 school districts currently offering                            
statewide correspondence services to Alaska's school age residents.                                 
                                                                                                    
The district-operated statewide correspondence programs offer a                                     
variety of education delivery methods. Educational delivery models                                  
include US postal, Internet and family developed programs supported                                 
by district staff.                                                                                  
                                                                                                    

2003-03-06                     Senate Journal                      Page 0393
Eliminating the ACS program will eliminate the duplicative services                                 
currently being provided by school districts enrolling and serving                                  
correspondence students statewide. ' The Department of Education and                                
Early Development will help ACS students and families identify the                                  
appropriate educational services and assist them in moving to other                                 
programs to ensure no child is left behind.                                                         
                                                                                                    
I urge your prompt and favorable action on this measure.                                            
                                                                                                    
Sincerely,                                                                                          
/s/                                                                                                 
Frank H. Murkowski                                                                                  
Governor