03/12/2015 03:30 PM Senate EDUCATION

         HCR 2-JAN 24 - 30, 2016: AK SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:32:19 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  DUNLEAVY  announced  the  consideration of  HCR  2.  [CSHCR
(EDC) was before the committee.]                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN  GATTIS, Alaska State Legislature,  sponsor of                                                              
HCR 2, related  that the resolution  is about school choice  and a                                                              
parent's  right to  choose when,  where,  and how  their child  is                                                              
educated.  Designating January  24  - 30,  2016  as Alaska  School                                                              
Choice  Week, simply  acknowledges  that our  education system  is                                                              
accountable    to   families.    Alaska    has   many    education                                                              
opportunities;   public  neighborhood   schools,  public   charter                                                              
schools,   public   home   schools,   optional   public   schools,                                                              
independent  home schools, as  well as  private schools.  She said                                                              
School  Choice  Week  is  a  national  celebration  recognized  by                                                              
millions of students,  parents, educators, schools,  and community                                                              
leaders  for  the  purpose  of raising  public  awareness  to  the                                                              
importance of effective  education options. This  truly comes down                                                              
to a parent's  right to choose  how to education their  child. She                                                              
concluded that HCR 2 is a simple resolution.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY  recognized  that Senator  Stevens was present.  He                                                              
said  the resolution  is  similar  to the  Senate  version of  the                                                              
bill.  The only  change is  on line 10;  there is  an addition  of                                                              
"optional public schools."                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GARDNER  said she read  the Senate version  very carefully                                                              
to see if  it was a voucher  bill that supported the  use of state                                                              
money for private  schools.  She concluded that it  was not a pro-                                                              
voucher bill.  She said  when she  researched the national  School                                                              
Choice movement  she recognized that when "public  charter school"                                                              
is used,  it means "voucher  schools" that receive  state dollars.                                                              
She  asked  if  the  wording  on line  10  is  an  endorsement  of                                                              
vouchers.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GATTIS  said  it  really  means  "Alaska's  school                                                              
choices, not  vouchers." There are  no private charter  schools in                                                              
Alaska.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DUNLEAVY  corrected  that  the  resolution  states  "public                                                              
charter schools."                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:35:53 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR HUGGINS said he could add vouchers to the resolution.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HUGGINS moved  to report CSHCR 2(EDC) from  committee with                                                              
individual recommendations  and attached  zero fiscal  note. There                                                              
being no objection, it was so ordered.