Legislature(2003 - 2004)
03/13/2003 11:05 AM House EDU
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 165-COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
Number 2050
CHAIR GATTO announced that the next order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 165, "An Act relating to community schools; and
providing for an effective date."
Number 2113
KATHLEEN FLEMIN, Community Schools Monitor for Talkeetna,
Matanuska-Susitna School District, testified via teleconference
in opposition to HB 165. She told the committee that Talkeetna
has about 350 residents, with an additional 500 on the road
system. The town has very dedicated community school
participants. She told the committee she keeps yearly
statistics for both the fall and spring semesters. These number
may reflect people who participate more than once. Last year
community schools had 44 volunteers who gave a total of 890
hours to the program, and 43 activities were offered, with 432
people, both kids and adults, enrolled. She told the committee
that all that was accomplished and she is just a half-time
employee. She told the members they were getting a lot of bang
for the buck for Talkeetna community schools. Talkeetna is only
one of two schools in the Matanuska-Susitna area with a monitor
and an active community schools program. Matanuska-Susitna used
to have eight community schools programs, and the program is
already at a bare-bones level. A lot of people feel that they
are paying for the schools with property taxes, although many do
not have children in the schools, but by being able to use the
facilities they develop a much more positive sense of their role
in education.
MS. FLEMIN said the school in a small town becomes the center of
the community. It has the town's only gym, classrooms, and
meeting space. It is a safe, wholesome place to learn, have
fun, network with other families, and make new friends. If the
committee needs proof of Talkeetna's support of community
schools, she could get 50 letters of support to members' offices
within a week, she said.
Number 2239
MS. FLEMIN gave a brief summary of the programs offered. They
are after-school programs for kids, including roller-skating,
art, and singing, which are provided by all-volunteer leaders.
Other programs include many health and safety classes such as
babysitting, first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation,
nutrition, and cooking. Some classes are taught by local health
professionals. Ms. Flemin said with the long winters the crafts
and gym activities help people to have fun with their neighbors
and expand their circle of friends, and even develop new
moneymaking skills. Community schools offer do-it-yourself
classes such as woodworking and auto maintenance. Tapping some
of the very well-educated local folks, she said she has been
able to work with the University of Alaska system to offer
classes with optional college credit, since the nearest campus
is 75 miles away. The computer classes have been very popular
with the school's wonderful computer lab, and the school staff
agrees this resource should be made available to the public.
MS. FLEMIN said local individuals and businesses have directly
benefited by these low-cost local classes. The theme of
lifelong learning is alive and well, thanks to the community
schools program. With a small, extra expenditure, the
legislature makes it possible for kids and adults to have the
opportunities to utilize the buildings after the K-12 program is
over. She said it provides a very good message to students that
adults are coming into their school to take classes voluntarily.
This is a win-win situation.
Number 2304
CHAIR GATTO asked if Talkeetna community school is part of the
Matanuska-Susitna School District. He told Ms. Flemin that the
funding for Matanuska-Susitna community schools would be reduced
25 percent, and while it does not eliminate community schools,
it does reduce the funding. Representative Gatto told her he
believes that Matanuska-Susitna will be able to keep community
schools but must find funds to make up the difference in the
reduction. He commented that in some areas of the state the
funds were reduced 100 percent, because the state was handling
100 percent of the community schools' costs.
MS. FLEMIN asked if Chair Gatto believed that school districts
would increase their budgets to cover community schools, when
everyone seems to be cutting budgets.
CHAIR GATTO responded that is why there are school board
meetings. It is certainly something that she could ask for.
MS. FLEMIN said that she fears the program will be lost.
Number 2363
DEE HUBBARD, a resident of Sterling, testified via
teleconference on HB 165. She asked the committee not to cut
funding to community schools programming. She said when she
lived in Anchorage her entire family participated in community
schools, and she even taught classes. Previous years'
discussions have highlighted that this small amount of money
affects so many people. A lot of people cannot afford to take
classes if the fees go up. She said she sees this as another
cut in educational programming.
CHAIR GATTO commented that the state and school districts supply
the building, heat, lights, and snow removal. He pointed out
that there is a fairly large investment from the districts and
the state already. He said the state is asking community
schools to pick up a little more in the cost of running the
program. He suggested going to school board meetings to see
what else could be done to help keep community school programs
operating.
Number 2466
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON moved to report HB 165 out of committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal
notes.
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER objected. She said that she has already
commented on her objection at previous meetings.
REPRESENTATIVE GARA said he believes it is poor public policy
and sloppy educational policy to take away educational
opportunities on the grounds that it is an efficiency measure,
and then put nothing in its place. The efficiencies need to be
thoughtful. Representative Gara said there is no analysis from
the administration on what impact this will have on community
schools. The committee does not know how many community schools
will close as a result of this bill. He noted that the chart
the Department of Education and Early Development provided the
committee shows that 15 to 20 schools rely completely on grant
funding received from the state. Eradicating this program will
have a big impact. He pointed out that in some communities the
only programs for at risk-kids and GED [general equivalency
diploma] programs are run by community schools.
Number 2582
EDDY JEANS, Manager, School Finance and Facilities Section
Education Support Services, Department of Education and Early
Development, testified on HB 165. Mr. Jeans told the committee
that the schedule provided to the committee shows the community
schools grant allocations and what has been reported in the
school districts' financial statement. He said that as
Representative Gara pointed out, the committee may note that in
some districts there is 100 percent in a number of these
districts, but what that represents is that the districts have
to account for that in a special revenue fund outside the school
operating fund. In many of these cases, districts are providing
funding for community schools after hours that exceed what is
reflected. The district just is not showing that expenditure
over in the community schools grant side. It is just showing up
in its operating budget to keep the school open, heated, and
lit.
REPRESENTATIVE GARA pointed out that this does not show the
expenses of the school that is there, and therefore the amount
of money allocated and provided for community schools. He said,
for example, if 100 percent of Alaska Gateway Schools comes from
the state grant program, then that means that 100 percent of the
staffing comes from the state grant program. He asked if that
is correct.
MR. JEANS responded that what he is saying is that a number of
the communities have head teachers who live right in the
community and go over and open up the gym to have the gym open
for after-hours basketball under the community school
allocation. It is simply a function of that person's job that
is showing up in the school's operating budget.
CHAIR GATTO said the issue is pretty clear as to whether or not
the committee wants to vote to eliminate the $500,000 from
community schools. He said this debate can be very extended,
with the same issues being revisited. Chair Gatto commented
that he knows Representative Gara wants to spend the money some
other way and the governor wants to save the money. The issue
is not that complicated. Chair Gatto told the committee he
would entertain new questions.
Number 2733
REPRESENTATIVE GARA asked how many community schools will be
closed because the state is withdrawing the grant money. He
told the committee that the grant money is used to go out into
the community and find more grant money. He asked Mr. Jeans if
he knows how great a ripple effect this will have on community
schools. How much will community schools lose in leveraging
these funds to obtain more funds?
CHAIR GATTO responded that he does not believe Mr. Jeans will be
able to answer how many community schools will close until the
event occurs and does not believe it is a fair question. Chair
Gatto said the question about a ripple effect through community
schools on leveraging funds is questionable, since the state
does not even know if there is a ripple effect or a savings. He
told Representative Gara that no one there is equipped to answer
these questions because they are theoretical questions.
Number 2854
REPRESENTATIVE GARA told the committee that if the members do
not know the answers to these questions, this bill should not
pass out of the committee because he believes it is bad public
policy.
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Gatto, Seaton,
Coghill, Wilson, and Wolf voted in favor of reporting HB 165
from committee. Representatives Gara and Kapsner voted against
it. Therefore, HB 165 was reported out of the House Special
Committee on Education by a vote of 5-2.
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