05/05/1995 08:40 AM House FIN

  SENATE BILL 88                                                               
                                                                               
       "An  Act  establishing  a  pilot  program  for  charter                 
       schools; and providing for an effective date."                          
                                                                               
  SENATOR BERT SHARP testified  in support of CS SB  88 (FIN).                 
  He stated that the issue of charter schools was discussed at                 
  length  during  the  two  years  of  the  18th  Legislature.                 
  Unfortunately, charter schools was  just one part of SB  61,                 
  which in all aspects  was an "omnibus education bill".   The                 
  bill tried to  address diverse  issues, each  of which  were                 
                                                                               
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  controversial  and  in   some  way  tainted  the   other  by                 
  association.                                                                 
                                                                               
  He  continued  that  all charter  school  proposals  must be                 
  submitted to the  local school  board for consideration  and                 
  upon their approval,  forwarded to  the Commissioner of  the                 
  Department of Education  for review and compliance  to state                 
  law.   All  staffing of charter  schools must  be done  on a                 
  volunteer basis.                                                             
                                                                               
  Senator Sharp added  that a charter school  would not dilute                 
  the  amount  of money  available  to school  districts other                 
  schools.    By  challenging  students  to achieve  at  their                 
  highest capabilities, the  charter schools may lead  the way                 
  to a more  effective education system for  the next century.                 
  He urged the Committee to support  the legislation.  Senator                 
  Sharp noted that the project would sunset in ten years.                      
                                                                               
  Co-Chair  Hanley asked if the  project would be optional for                 
  each school district.  Senator Sharp stated that it would be                 
  optional and would need to be approved by each school board.                 
  Co-Chair Hanley referenced Section 3,  Page 3, which implies                 
  that the  local school  board would  "have"  to provide  the                 
  charter school with  a budget.   He asked  if that  language                 
  would require the school district to  have a charter school.                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  Senator Sharp noted that the  application for charter school                 
  would need to be submitted by the group to the school board.                 
  The school board would then consider the entire packet.  Co-                 
  Chair Hanley reiterated  that he  understood that the  local                 
  school board would  have to  forfeit to the  State Board  of                 
  Education applications for  a charter school that  have been                 
  "approved or  denied".   Senator Sharp  emphasized that  the                 
  intent of the  legislation defines that the  Commissioner of                 
  Education  would  have  to approve  the  agreement  that the                 
  charter group  would  meet the  statutory  requirements  for                 
  public education.                                                            
                                                                               
  Representative  Grussendorf  expressed   concern  with   the                 
  financial obligation of deferred maintenance for the charter                 
  schools and asked if  those causes would be binding  for the                 
  State.   Senator Sharp replied  that the school district can                 
  at any  point terminate the  contract if the  charter school                 
  deviated from the prescribed budget.                                         
                                                                               
  Representative Brown questioned if there would be any change                 
  on the teachers'  tenure accumulation requirements  or their                 
  employment  conditions.    Senator  Sharp   noted  that  any                 
  teachers participating in the  charter school program  would                 
  continue  to be subject  to collective  bargaining agreement                 
  terms  and  would continue  to  be employees  of  the school                 
                                                                               
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  district.                                                                    
                                                                               
  Representative Brown  asked if religious education  would be                 
  authorized through the proposed legislation.  Senator  Sharp                 
  pointed out that Page 4, Line 14, specified that the charter                 
  school would be "nonsectarian".                                              
                                                                               
  JERRY  MCBEATH,   FAIRBANKS  NORTH  STAR  BOROUGH  BOARD  OF                 
  EDUCATION, FAIRBANKS, spoke in support of CS SB 88 (FIN) and                 
  urged Committee members to support the legislation.                          
                                                                               
  (Tape Change, HFC 95-113, Side 2).                                           
                                                                               
  Representative Therriault MOVED to report CS SB 88 (FIN) out                 
  of Committee  with individual  recommendations and with  the                 
  accompanying fiscal note.                                                    
                                                                               
  CS  SB 88 (FIN)  was reported  out of  Committee with  a "do                 
  pass"  recommendation  and   with  a  fiscal  note   by  the                 
  Department of Education dated 3/9/95.