04/07/2011 01:30 PM House FINANCE

HOUSE BILL NO. 104                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act renaming the Alaska performance scholarship                                                                        
     and relating to the scholarship and tax credits                                                                            
     applicable   to  contributions   to  the   scholarship;                                                                    
     establishing   the   Alaska   performance   scholarship                                                                    
     investment fund and  the Alaska performance scholarship                                                                    
     award   fund  and   relating  to   the  funds;   making                                                                    
     conforming amendments;  and providing for  an effective                                                                    
     date."                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:17:57 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
LES MORSE, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER,  DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND                                                                    
EARLY   DEVELOPMENT,   and    MIKE   HANLEY,   COMMISSIONER,                                                                    
DEPARTMENT  OF EDUCATION  and  EARLY DEVELOPMENT  introduced                                                                    
themselves.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner Morse stated  that two years prior  there was a                                                                    
curriculum  for rural  Alaska  that was  less  than what  he                                                                    
hoped would  be offered  in the future.  He felt  like there                                                                    
would be  more opportunities  for children, if  they focused                                                                    
on innovation and change.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stoltze  stated  that  it  was  the  legislature's                                                                    
intention to  complete a measure that  reached consensus and                                                                    
the goals of the administration.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:19:04 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative   Gara  wondered   why  there   was  not   an                                                                    
alternative  approach for  those  people that  did not  have                                                                    
access  to  the courses.  He  understood  the need  for  the                                                                    
different  types of  financial aid,  but if  there would  be                                                                    
standardized    testing   or    post-graduation   attendance                                                                    
requirements  for  students  from  unconventional  education                                                                    
backgrounds. Commissioner  Morse stated that if  the courses                                                                    
were  not  offered  across  the  state,  then  there  was  a                                                                    
problem.  He stated  that there  was  a two-year  transition                                                                    
period, and  he was confident  that all the schools  will be                                                                    
able  to   offer  the  requirements.  He   stated  that  the                                                                    
graduation requirements  included two years of  math and two                                                                    
years  of   science.  He  explained  that   the  Performance                                                                    
Scholarship application  for the current year  only required                                                                    
five total  credits, and the  following year would  be seven                                                                    
credits, and so  on. He stated that he would  advocate for a                                                                    
continued grace  period, if  all students  did not  have the                                                                    
opportunity to take those credits.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
2:22:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Gara stressed  that  he wanted  to meet  all                                                                    
those requirements.  He stated  that he has  heard different                                                                    
things from  Co-Chair Thomas and  from school  districts. He                                                                    
surmised that  Commissioner Morse  was stating  that schools                                                                    
were on the verge of offering  the courses, and he felt like                                                                    
that was  inaccurate. He saw  adding to the  curriculum also                                                                    
required  a removal  of other  programs. Commissioner  Morse                                                                    
replied  that their  information came  from superintendents,                                                                    
but  recognized challenges  in the  districts. He  felt that                                                                    
the courses and programs could be developed.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:24:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Wilson  requested  specific data  from  each                                                                    
district regarding  their needs for programs,  and also what                                                                    
programs were  already available. Commissioner  Morse agreed                                                                    
to provide that information.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:26:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Thomas   wondered  why  the   University  requires                                                                    
remedial  math, if  they were  able  to take  the course  in                                                                    
college. He  also queried the  high school  graduation rates                                                                    
across the state. Commissioner Morse  agreed to provide that                                                                    
information.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:29:04 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Gara  stressed   that  colleges  needed  the                                                                    
curriculum that was focused on remedial learning.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:30:35 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Wilson  if the students were  required to pay                                                                    
back  the  loan if  they  did  not complete  college.  DIANE                                                                    
BARRANS,   EXECUTIVE   DIRECTOR,  POST-SECONDARY   EDUCATION                                                                    
DIVISION,  DEPARTMENT  OF  EDUCATION and  EARLY  DEVELOPMENT                                                                    
replied that it would be  a scholarship and would not become                                                                    
a  loan  if there  was  not  completion of  university.  She                                                                    
stated that it was important for  the program to run for two                                                                    
years,  and  it  was  important   for  good  information  be                                                                    
provided for the students and families.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:33:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
HB  104  was  HEARD  and   HELD  in  committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.