Legislature(2019 - 2020)DAVIS 106
03/11/2020 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB153 | |
| HB237 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 237 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 153 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 237-APPROP: EARLY LITERACY PROGRAMS
9:45:17 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND announced that the final order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 237, "An Act making special
appropriations from the general fund for early literacy programs
in public schools; and providing for an effective date."
9:45:37 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ANDI STORY, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor, introduced HB 237. She paraphrased the sponsor
statement [included in the committee packet], which read in its
entirety as follows [original punctuation provided]:
Reading is a foundational skill, critical to a
student's continued progression and success. As
"Alaska's Education Challenge" states, research
suggests that school readiness at an early age is a
critical strategy for improving future student
outcomes and closing achievement gaps.
School districts across Alaska recognize the
importance of early literacy and have taken to heart
the goal of children reading at grade level by the end
of third grade. Many districts have already devoted
considerable resources to this end, even in these
times of budget constraints.
HB 237 provides resources to bolster and support
school districts in this important work. It
distributes $10 million in early literacy grants to
districts outside the formula, as though through the
foundation formula. This approach ensures every
district receives funds to support their early
literacy initiatives. In directing funds to school
districts, HB 237 honors local control and community-
based decisions in meeting the literacy needs of its
youngest students.
The proposed appropriation for FY21 is $10 million,
and for FY22, an inflation adjusted $10,225,000.
HB 237 recognizes the value of community-based
services, interventions and choices in determining the
most effective and culturally relevant strategies to
increase the number of students who are reading at
grade level by the end of third grade.
HB 237 includes intent language that directs the
Department of Education and Early Development to
report on the use of the early literacy funds to the
Alaska Legislature by January 31, 2021.
The data from this report will highlight the ways
schools are supporting students and meeting early
literacy goals.
9:48:04 AM
MARY HAKALA, Staff, Representative Andi Story, Alaska State
Legislature, addressed the sectional analysis for HB 237
[included in the committee packet], on behalf of Representative
Story, prime sponsor. The sectional analysis read as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
Section 1. Reflects legislative intent that directs
school districts to report to the Department of
Education and Early Development on the use of early
literacy funds appropriated in section 2, by January
15, 2021. The Department of Education and Early
Development is to compile district reports and present
a summary to the Alaska Legislature by January 31,
2021 for early literacy programs.
Section 2(a). Appropriates $10,000,000 to the Alaska
Department of Education and Early Development to be
distributed to school districts as grants "outside the
formula", as though through the foundation formula for
FY21 for early literacy programs.
Section 2(b). Appropriates $10,225,000 to the Alaska
Department of Education and Early Development to be
distributed to school districts as grants "outside the
formula", as though through the foundation formula for
FY22 for early literacy programs.
Section 3. Effective date for Section 2(b), is July 1,
2021.
Section 4. Immediate effective date for all other
sections of the bill.
MS. HAKALA directed attention to the HB 237 project
distribution by district [included in the committee
packet], which was prepared by DEED. She explained that
the document illustrates how the money would be distributed
across the state. She noted that the distribution is a
projection.
9:50:14 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked if the distribution is based on the
number of students [in each district].
9:50:49 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY said it would be run through the foundation
formula, which accounts for school size and other components.
9:51:13 AM
MS. HAKALA added that the distribution was prepared by DEED to
estimate how $10 million would be allocated under the foundation
formula. She deferred to the department to speak to the
specific mechanics of the formula.
9:51:28 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX sought clarification as to why the Aleutian
Region would be allocated $7,872 in FY 22, while the Fairbanks
North Star Borough would receive $1,000,847.
9:52:24 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY deferred to the department.
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND in response to Representative Prax, explained
that the projected amounts are adjusted through the foundation
formula. She explained that the formula accounts for special
needs students, as well as different programs, later adding that
accomplishing set goals with the projected allocations becomes
more feasible once the actual number of students is known.
9:52:49 AM
MS. TESHNER stated that the costs on the distribution document
represent the adjusted average daily membership (ADM), which is
not a true head count. She explained that the adjusted ADM has
gone through the formula, which adjusts for factors such as
school size and district cost factor, and subsequently
distributes the $10 million accordingly. She pointed out that
for the current fiscal year, the Aleutian Region district has a
total of 28 students; however, the Adjusted ADM is 200.04.
9:54:56 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX contended that the startup cost per student
would be higher for smaller districts; consequently, he
questioned whether the foundation formula is underfunding
smaller districts and overfunding larger districts.
9:55:45 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY noted that the appropriation provided in HB 237
would not fund a startup program. She explained that the intent
of the bill is to ensure every district receives funds to
support their early literacy initiatives. She said each
district could use the money to reach their literacy goals as
they see fit.
9:57:08 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND announced that HB 237 would be held over.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 237 Sponsor Statement 3.3.20.pdf |
HEDC 3/11/2020 8:00:00 AM |
HB 237 |
| HB 237 Sectional Analysis 3.3.20.pdf |
HEDC 3/11/2020 8:00:00 AM |
HB 237 |
| HB 237 Committee Packet 3.11.2020.pdf |
HEDC 3/11/2020 8:00:00 AM |
HB 237 |
| HB 237 Version M.PDF |
HEDC 3/11/2020 8:00:00 AM |
HB 237 |
| HB237 FY20 and FY21 by district disbursment 3.4.20 DEED.pdf |
HEDC 3/11/2020 8:00:00 AM |
HB 237 |