Legislature(2019 - 2020)CAPITOL 106
05/08/2019 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB109 | |
| HB136 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 136 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 109 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
HB 109-MILITARY CHILDREN SCHOOL RESIDENCY WAIVER
8:06:24 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY announced that the first order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 109, "An Act relating to residency
requirements for public school enrollment for certain children
of active duty military members." [Before the committee was
CSHB 109(MLV).]
CO-CHAIR STORY drew attention to the paper copy of [the proposed
committee substitute (CS) for HB 109, labeled 31-LS0728\S,
Caouette, 4/24/19,] provided on the dais before each member.
CO-CHAIR STORY requested the sponsor to explain the background
and reason for the [proposed CS].
8:07:00 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GABRIELLE LEDOUX, Alaska State Legislature, as
prime sponsor of HB 109, requested her aide, Ms. Deneen Tuck, to
explain the background and reason for the [proposed CS].
8:07:25 AM
DENEEN TUCK, Staff, Representative Gabrielle LeDoux, Alaska
State Legislature, on behalf of Representative LeDoux, prime
sponsor of HB 109, explained that after CSHB 109(MLV) was
reported from the House Special Committee on Military &
Veterans' Affairs, it was suggested by Representative Tarr that
the word "guardian" be added where ever "parent" is mentioned in
the bill. The word "parent" occurs in Section 1, page 1, lines
6 and 10, and page 2, line 3.
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX stated that HB 109 comes from a request by
the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). She explained that DOD is
trying to get all states to pass bills which allow parents or
guardians of school-age children to enroll their children in
school before they arrive in Alaska and become Alaska residents.
For example, if a parent or guardian received transfer papers in
May but would not arrive in Alaska until September, the bill
would allow the children to be enrolled during the school's
regular enrollment period. This is important for high school
students where courses for graduation fill up relatively quickly
or where a student has courses or electives that are needed for
admittance to the college of their choice, and if the student
waited until arriving in Alaska those courses may already be
filled. It's also important for when a parent or guardian wants
to enroll a child into a charter school, which is done through
lotteries and that process may start prior to [the child's]
arrival in Alaska.
8:10:09 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS requested clarification about which bill
version the committee is working from.
CO-CHAIR STORY replied the committee is considering Version S,
[the proposed committee substitute for HB 109, labeled 31-
LS0728\S, Caouette, 4/24/19].
REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS asked whether other states have already
passed this bill.
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX offered her understanding that some states
have passed it, but she doesn't know the number.
8:11:09 AM
The committee took a brief at-ease.
8:11:35 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND moved to adopt the proposed committee
substitute (CS) for HB 109, labeled 31-LS0728\S, Caouette,
4/24/19, as the working document.
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND objected for purposes of discussion.
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX suggested that Ms. Tammie Perreault of DOD
might be able to answer Representative Hopkins' question about
how many other states have adopted this bill.
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND removed her objection to adopting the proposed
CS as the working document. There being no further objection,
Version S was before the committee.
8:12:32 AM
TAMMIE PERREAULT, Regional Liaison, U.S. Department of Defense
(DOD), addressed the question from Representative Hopkins about
how many states have adopted this or a similar law. She said
that, currently, at least six states have passed this. Arizona,
California, Washington, and Nebraska have already passed bills.
It has been introduced and is in the process of being passed in
about six other states, including Florida, Georgia, and South
Carolina. The DOD foresees a wave of states passing a bill this
legislative session. The DOD further foresees that over 20
states will have passed a bill by the end of the next
legislative session. This is a very new initiative with DOD, so
Alaska is early in the process, but it is something that has
been vetted through the next three states and is an important
part of improving military child implementation of education in
the state of Alaska.
8:14:40 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY posed a scenario in which a student
enrolls after the headcount has been done for the base student
allocation. She inquired whether resources would be there to
meet the needs of that student.
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX deferred to the Alaska Department of
Education & Early Development (DEED) for an answer. She stated
she isn't sure how this bill would change that because the
students are going to be coming in one way or another.
CO-CHAIR STORY offered her understanding that even if students
not from the military move from another district or state after
the count date they are not counted and therefore she doesn't
believe this bill would correct that.
8:16:07 AM
HEIDI TESHNER, Director, Division of Administrative Services,
Department of Education & Early Development (DEED), replied to
Representative Zulkosky's question. She explained that if a
student is enrolled in the school district for the count period,
that student will be counted. If a student enrolls after the
count period or anytime during the count period, that student
would not be funded through the formula as it currently stands.
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY surmised that is true for any student
enrolling late, not just students with parents or guardians in
military service.
MS. TESHNER responded correct.
8:17:07 AM
DEENA BISHOP, PhD, Superintendent, Anchorage School District
(ASD), testified that the Municipality of Anchorage and the
Anchorage School District are honored to serve the families and
children of the military. Presently, [ASD] serves about 8,000
[military] students, or 15 percent of [ASD's] total student
population. The functions and people of Joint Base Elmendorf-
Richardson (JBER) play a major role in the community and state.
DR. BISHOP said this bill would allow and ensure that a school
district considers students as residents of the district and
offers the ability to admit them into school when their parents
or guardians are serving as active duty members. The bill is
the least [the state] can do for its highly valued men and women
of the U.S. military.
DR. BISHOP related that ASD's goal is to transition the young
people of military families effectively, efficiently, and as
easily as possible. The district desires to make its military
families' station in Alaska the best it can be, and this
includes schooling. This bill would offer peace of mind to
military families with school-aged children as they move to
Alaska. It would also allow school districts to plan for their
arrival by planning for courses and classes that will be ready
and waiting for them. She offered the Anchorage School
District's full support and appreciation for HB 109.
8:18:58 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND inquired whether the Anchorage School District
has to-date experienced any enrollment issues with children of
military families due to the lack of the language in this bill.
DR. BISHOP answered that ASD has not, but she sees the bill as
not necessarily the impetus on the school district doing its
work. The bill speaks to what is being provided, the customer
satisfaction, which is that military families have peace of mind
in knowing that their school district will work with them.
8:20:17 AM
MICHAEL GRAHAM, Chief Academic Officer, Anchorage School
District (ASD), seconded Dr. Bishop's statements and said ASD
has not had problems with the military. The district has two
military liaison officers who help families navigate in this
regard and the bill would provide peace of mind. The schools
and principles of the ASD are aware and will do whatever is
necessary to make things work, whether the students are coming
in or transferring out.
MR. GRAHAM addressed the question about funding when a student
is not yet there during the counts. He noted that military and
other students leave the district after the count time and the
district doesn't lose that money, so things likely balance out
closely.
8:21:44 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY referred to a letter in the committee packet from
Patrick Mayer, President, Alaska Superintendents Association,
which notes that the bill seems to be written for incoming
students. Mr. Mayer suggests that clarifying language may be
needed to address the issue of students who are leaving and no
longer in Alaska. Co-Chair Story asked what the current
practice is for a student who is outgoing and whether the
student could stay in the district.
DR. BISHOP replied that ASD disagrees with that letter and does
not believe the bill needs to speak to outgoing students. The
district treats outgoing students as individuals, she said. If
a student leaves during the middle of the year, ASD has always
worked with the families and the commissioner of DEED to get
permission for the student to continue his/her education for
graduation or for a family hardship, such as when a parent or
guardian is deployed and leaves the state. She said that as the
ASD superintendent she would not support any kind of language
that would limit or make it more difficult for ASD to serve.
She pointed out that ASD has never had an abuse of this issue,
it is simply about meeting graduation requirements or hardships.
CO-CHAIR STORY offered her understanding of this issue for when
someone is in a current year and must move but wants to stay
enrolled in the district. She inquired about subsequent years.
DR. BISHOP responded that ASD does not have that issue and has
not had that request. The ASD is not a national correspondence,
it serves state students.
8:25:37 AM
JAMES ANDERSON, Chief Financial Officer, Anchorage School
District, related that he spent 27 years on active duty with the
U.S. Army prior to retiring four years ago in Anchorage. Each
of his daughters attended nine different schools as they
progressed from kindergarten through graduation. Both times
when his family moved to Anchorage his children were registered,
knew what was going to happen, knew they would get the classes
they needed, and felt comfortable before even hitting the ASD
schoolgrounds. This is not necessarily the norm; his children
attended schools that were not as welcoming and were not as
helpful, which created chaos for his kids in trying to figure
out what they would be doing. He said he applauds the bill
sponsor's efforts and the national efforts to recognize the
challenge that military children face. He added that his
daughters still call Anchorage home and much of that is how they
were welcomed and embraced when coming into the school district.
8:27:45 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY opened public testimony on HB 109. She closed
public testimony after ascertaining no one wished to testify.
CO-CHAIR STORY observed the fiscal note for HB 109 is zero.
8:28:19 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY held over HB 109.