Legislature(1993 - 1994)
03/25/1993 03:00 PM House HES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 244: APPROP:SINGLE-DUAL SCHOOL SITES REP. BILL WILLIAMS testified as PRIME SPONSOR of HB 244. He read a sponsor statement (which is on file in the committee room) which said, in summary, that the bill was an effort to restore funding to nine single-site school districts which had seen their supplemental funding cut from the FY94 budget earlier in the 1993 legislative session. He said the goal of HB 244 was to ensure that all single-site school districts would be dealt with in the same manner. Number 237 REP. BUNDE observed that there were no fiscal notes in the bill packets, but then commented that the special appropriations were included in the bill and that there would be no fiscal notes. Number 244 BILL THOMAS, INDIAN EDUCATION DIRECTOR, KETCHIKAN SCHOOL DISTRICT and PRESIDENT, SOUTHEAST NATIVE EDUCATION COMMISSION, testified via teleconference from Ketchikan in support of HB 244. He said he was distressed with the state Senate for making arbitrary cuts in single-site school districts' budgets. He said investing in education for youth was cheaper than trying to repair them later in life. He encouraged legislators to put politics aside and support HB 244. Number 285 REVA SHIRCEL, EDUCATION DIRECTOR, TANANA CHIEFS CONFERENCE, testified via teleconference from in support of HB 244. She said the bill would provide needed supplementary funding for the nine rural single-site school districts. Number 314 JUDY JENKINSON, KETCHIKAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, testified in Juneau in support of HB 244. She said it was criminal to balance the budget on the backs of children. She said children are at the mercy of their parents and cannot choose where they attend school. Number 330 REP. BUNDE stated his opposition to the idea of single-site school districts because he favors children and believes money spent on small single-site districts is poorly spent. Number 338 KENT DURAND, ASSOCIATION OF ALASKA SCHOOL BOARDS, testified in Juneau in support of HB 244. He said the state legislature has since 1986 provided supplemental funding for small single-site school districts. At its 1992 conference, the association resolved to support adjusting the foundation formula to eliminate the disparities in single-site school district funding. He said cuts in supplementary funding before such adjustment was made were unfair. REP. BUNDE asked if the association supported single-site schools. MR. DURAND responded that the association supported HB 244. Number 345 REP. BUNDE repeated his question. MR. DURAND stated, "At this time, yes we do, unless there's another alt...(unintelligible)." REP. BUNDE said, "Even if they have an enrollment of three?" MR. DURAND responded, "Yes, that's correct." Number 357 CHAIR TOOHEY noted that Mr. Durand had qualified his answer, saying that the association supported single-site school districts "at this time," pending a better solution. REP. BUNDE noted that Anchorage had 40 percent of the state's school children, but nowhere near 40 percent of the state's educational operating budget. Number 369 BOB ANDERSON, CHAIRMAN, KLAWOCK CITY SCHOOL BOARD, testified in Juneau in support of HB 244. He said Klawock, a single- site school district, saw $147,010 cut from its budget through HB 45, representing a catastrophic cut of 10.67 percent of the district's FY94 budget. He said the district did not have a highly paid superintendent, or a private plane, but was devoted to teaching 207 students from kindergarten through 12th grade. He urged the committee to rectify the state Senate's error in making the cuts by passing HB 244. Number 379 CLAUDIA DOUGLAS, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION- ALASKA (NEA), testified in Juneau in support of HB 244. She said children should not be punished through politics, and while HB 244 addressed the issue of equity, children were injured by discrimination in supplemental funding. REP. BUNDE asked if the NEA supported single-site schools. MS. DOUGLAS asked if he meant single-site schools or single- site school districts. REP. BUNDE answered single-site school districts. Number 385 MS. DOUGLAS said that NEA supported supplemental funding for single-site school sites needing extra money, at least until the issue of equity had been addressed. She said NEA also supported changes in policy if necessary. REP. BUNDE asked if NEA had a position on school district consolidation. MS. DOUGLAS answered that she would prepare a position, but she did not want to comment at that time. Number 410 REP. BUNDE called for more public testimony on HB 244 and, hearing none, closed public testimony. Number 412 REP. BETTYE DAVIS, a CO-SPONSOR of the bill, stated her support for the bill, saying it was better to provide funding for single-site school districts later than never, and if any of such districts were funded, all should be. She asked Rep. Williams why he thought the legislature would approve funding for districts which had been removed from HB 45. Number 420 REP. WILLIAMS answered that he did not know what happened in the Senate, but he hoped his bill would pass the House. He said HB 244 provided a vehicle for the nine single-site school districts that had seen their supplementary budgets cut to discover the reason why. Number 428 REP. B. DAVIS asked if Chair Bunde planned to pass the bill out of committee that day. REP. BUNDE answered that he did intend to do so. Number 433 REP. NICHOLIA stated her support for HB 244. She said single-site school districts deserved financial support, and they allowed local control. She said the existing foundation funding formula did not address their budget problems and there should be no cuts in supplemental funding until the inequities had been addressed. Number 445 REP. VEZEY moved for passage of HB 244 with individual recommendations. Hearing no objections, REP. BUNDE declared HB 244 passed with individual recommendations. He also commented that the vote should not be taken as encouragement or endorsement of single-site school districts. He encouraged people to work for different solutions to their financial problems, and to look toward consolidation, as the issue would probably be before the committee again in 1994. CHAIR BUNDE then brought HB 85 to the table.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|