2006-01-13                     Senate Journal                      Page 1892
SB 230                                                                                            
SENATE BILL NO. 230 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                                   
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                                               
                                                                                                    
          "An Act making appropriations for state aid to public                                     
          schools, centralized correspondence study, and                                            
          transportation of pupils; and providing for an                                            
          effective date."                                                                          
                                                                                                    
was read the first time and referred to the Finance Committee.                                      
                                                                                                    
Governor's transmittal letter dated January 11:                                                     
                                                                                                    
Dear President Stevens:                                                                             
                                                                                                    
Under the authority of art. III, sec. 18, of the Alaska Constitution, I am                          
transmitting a bill making special appropriations for the support of K-                             
12 public education in the state for fiscal year 2007.                                              

2006-01-13                     Senate Journal                      Page 1893
This bill contains an increase of $90.2 million that is contingent upon                             
passage of this legislation, which will increase the base student                                   
allocation by $433 from $4,919 to $5,352.                                                           
                                                                                                    
Upon approval, this will mean a 33 percent increase in education                                    
funding during the four years of this administration.                                               
                                                                                                    
But even more important is that we are seeing results from this                                     
increased investment.  The number of schools meeting the Adequate                                   
Yearly Progress requirement of the No Child Left Behind law has                                     
increased to 59 percent from 42 percent in 2003.  We have seen the                                  
achievement gap narrow between Native and non-Native students.                                      
                                                                                                    
I urge early and favorable action on this measure.                                                  
                                                                                                    
Sincerely yours,                                                                                    
/s/                                                                                                 
Frank H. Murkowski                                                                                  
Governor