Legislature(2017 - 2018)BUTROVICH 205
04/03/2017 08:00 AM Senate EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SCR5 | |
| HB64|| SB27 | |
| SB96 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 64 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SCR 5 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | SB 96 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 96-EDUCATION: SCHOOLS/TEACHERS/FUNDING
12:06:18 PM
CHAIR HUGHES brought the meeting back to order at 12:06 p.m. and
announced that the final order of business would be SB 96.
12:06:43 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL moved to adopt the CS for SB 96, labeled 30-
LS0452\M, as the working document.
CHAIR HUGHES objected for discussion.
12:07:12 PM
JOSHUA HUGHES, Staff, Senator Shelley Hughes, Alaska State
Legislature, presented changes in SB 96 from version T to
version M.
1. Page 1, Lines 1-12: Multiple changes were made to
the title in order for the title to focus on the
specific issues effected by the bill.
2. Page 3, Line 6: Adds language to allow a student to
challenge out of a career and technical education
course.
12:08:10 PM
SENATOR STEVENS asked how to ensure standards are used when
students challenge out of a course.
MR. BANKS said he understands that the standards will be set by
school districts; several schools already allow this.
SENATOR STEVENS hoped there would be serious standards.
12:08:58 PM
MR. BANKS described the third change:
3. Page 3, Line 11 through Page 4, Line 21: Changes to
the annual report filed by school districts in Section
5 of Version T are deleted. Language is added to the
report required by the Department of Education and
Early Development (DEED) in order for DEED to compile
information reported on by school districts. The
ratios to be reported on in Version T are also
reported on in Version M: • Administrative employees
to students
• Administrative employees to teachers
• Teachers to students
DEED will send this report to school districts who
will make available to the public the portion of the
report relating to their district on their website or
by another easily accessible method. "Administrative
employee" is defined as a certificated employee that
does not provide direct classroom instruction for
students.
12:10:27 PM
CHAIR HUGHES asked what page it is on.
MR. HUGHES said page 4, lines 19-21.
12:10:47 PM
SENATOR BEGICH brought up the issue of some employees being
federal employees.
12:11:21 PM
MR. BANKS agreed that they had discussed it and it was
inadvertently left out of Version M.
12:11:42 PM
CHAIR HUGHES said that Department of Education and Early
Development (DEED) could address that.
12:12:00 PM
SENATOR BEGICH said it was inadvertent and we will figure it
out.
12:12:17 PM
MR. BANKS turned to the fourth change:
4. Page 5, Line 12: The pooling of health insurance is
taken out of the definition of "administrative
services" under AS 14.14.110 in order to avoid the
possibility of the State requiring districts to pool
health insurance.
12:13:36 PM
MR. BANKS reported on the fifth and sixth changes:
5. Page 6, Line 3: The reference to a self-insurance
policy under AS 39.30.091 is deleted as this type of
health insurance is only offered to State employees.
The cooperative grant can still be used for a district
to participate in a group health insurance policy
under AS 39.30.090.
6. Page 6, Line 13: Sections 10 and 11 of Version T
are deleted.
12:14:31 PM
MR. BANKS described the seventh change:
7. Page 13, Line 11: Sections 20 and 21 in Version T
is deleted relating to the utilization of income of
the Public School Trust Fund.
12:15:12 PM
He said in the eighth change a new section is added:
8. Page 13, Lines 25-30: Adds a new section relating
to the Public School Trust Fund allowing the
Legislature to appropriate 4.75% of the Fund's market
value. This section also requires that the
appropriation be used only for supporting the state
public school program and to cover the administrative
costs of the fund.
12:15:37 PM
He described the ninth change:
9. Page 14, Line 14: AS 37.14.140 is repealed as the
additional section added under point 8 directs how the
Public School Trust Fund appropriations may be spent.
12:15:55 PM
MR. BANKS described the last change:
10. Page 14, Line 15 through Page 15, Line 15:
Requires DEED to analyze schools that are under 70%
capacity and within 25 miles by road of one or more
schools within the same district. The report will be
due by the beginning of the 2018 Legislative Session
and will look at the feasibility of merging schools
within a district with consideration given to the
following variables:
• If merging schools would result in overcrowding of
schools.
• If facility design for each school under
consideration will be appropriate for all grade levels
within the schools under consideration.
• The estimated savings and costs associated with the
merging of schools.
• Any legal and financial liabilities that a school
district and the state could incur due to the closure
of a school.
12:17:35 PM
SENATOR STEVENS had concerns about merging schools with
different grade levels.
MR. BANKS explained that the school design and remodel cost
would be considered, as stated on page 15.
SENATOR STEVENS assumed there would be separation of grade
levels.
MR. BANKS agreed that could be considered.
12:18:50 PM
SENATOR BEGICH clarified that Commissioner Johnson expressed an
interest in addressing all of those factors over the interim and
then reporting back in order to prevent unintended consequences.
The section provides for that to happen.
MR. BANKS said that was correct. The purpose of the analysis is
to avoid any unintended consequences.
12:19:47 PM
CHAIR HUGHES said the department is reaching out to districts
and may travel to districts to assess facilities. She encouraged
districts to bring their concerns to the department.
12:20:19 PM
CHAIR HUGHES removed her objection.
CHAIR HUGHES held SB 96 in committee.