03/06/2020 08:00 AM House EDUCATION

            HB 236-INCREASE BASE STUDENT ALLOCATION                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR STORY announced  that the first order  of business would                                                               
be HOUSE BILL  NO. 236 "An Act relating  to education; increasing                                                               
the  base  student allocation;  and  providing  for an  effective                                                               
date."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR STORY  recalled that during  its 2/26 and  3/4 meetings,                                                               
the House Education Standing Committee  had heard testimony on HB
  from the  Association of  Alaska School  Boards (AASB),  the                                                               
Alaska Council of School Administrators  (ACSA), and the National                                                               
Education Association of Alaska (NEA-Alaska).   She noted that 43                                                               
individuals had testified from 13  communities, and an additional                                                               
14 individuals  were unable to  testify due to  time constraints.                                                               
She  stated that  the  committee had  received  over 80  letters,                                                               
emails, and  resolutions.  She  said 260 Anchorage  residents had                                                               
submitted  written  opposition to  budget  cuts  proposed at  the                                                               
Anchorage School District.   She noted that all  but two invited,                                                               
written, and public testimony supported HB 236.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
8:05:59 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  PRAX   suggested  that  alternatives   to  public                                                               
schools,  such as  home  schools and  charter  schools, are  more                                                               
cost-effective than  public schools,  and he asked  whether there                                                               
exists a  strategic plan  for public  schools that  includes cost                                                               
savings.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:07:02 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  STORY  indicated that  the  Department  of Education  &                                                               
Early  Development  (DEED)   has  developed  "Alaska's  Education                                                               
Challenge" as its strategic plan.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
8:07:26 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR   DRUMMOND  added   that   public   education  funds   a                                                               
significant  number   of  alternative  schools,   including  home                                                               
schools, and thousands  of students.  She added  that home school                                                               
students receive  nearly the same  base student  allocation (BSA)                                                               
as do public school students.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
8:08:11 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  PRAX  acknowledged   the  number  of  alternative                                                               
schools is increasing, which he said he endorses.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
8:08:49 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND shared  that her experiences as  a school board                                                               
member  and legislator  has resulted  in significant  interaction                                                               
with members  of the  public regarding  public education  and its                                                               
funding.   She recalled her prior  experience as a member  of the                                                               
Anchorage  School  Board as  having  been  required to  implement                                                               
drastic budget cuts  over a number of years.   She suggested that                                                               
further  cuts  are  unsustainable.     She  offered  that  public                                                               
education  funding  is  necessary  to  attract  families  and  an                                                               
educated  workforce to  live, stay,  and thrive  in Alaska.   She                                                               
urged support of HB 236.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:10:40 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR STORY suggested  that passage of HB 236 would  be a step                                                               
in  the  right direction  for  education  policy and  an  advance                                                               
toward goals  of creating certainty and  predictability in public                                                               
education funding.   She noted that HB 236 is  a two-year funding                                                               
mechanism which results  in flat funding next  year and inflation                                                               
proofing the  following year.   She  suggested that  the proposed                                                               
increase is modest, and failure to  pass HB 236 would result in a                                                               
net cut  of $30 million to  education.  She indicated  there is a                                                               
perception that  education costs  are disproportionately  high in                                                               
Alaska.   She pointed out that  when adjusted for cost  of living                                                               
and  other  unique attributes  of  funding  education in  Alaska,                                                               
public education funding is within  the mean of national spending                                                               
on education  on a per-student  basis.   She urged support  of HB
 and  heralded investment  in education  as investment  in the                                                               
future of Alaska.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
8:12:36 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND  moved to report  HB 236 out of  committee with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  the  accompanying fiscal  notes.                                                               
There being  no objection, HB 236  was reported out of  the House                                                               
Education Standing Committee.