04/28/1994 08:35 AM House FIN

  SENATE BILL NO. 312                                                          
                                                                               
       "An  Act relating  to school  construction grants;  and                 
       providing for an effective date."                                       
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE JERRY  MACKIE spoke  in support  of CSSB  312                 
  (HES) am.  He noted that under current law the Department of                 
  Education   must  accept   or   reject   the  total   school                 
                                                                               
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  construction  project.  A project  can  only be  rejected if                 
  found to not  be "in the best  interests of the state."   He                 
  observed that CSSB 312 (HES)  am would allow the  Department                 
  of Education  to modify  or  revise the  scope of  submitted                 
  projects to assure that schools are adequately sized for the                 
  community to  be served.   In  addition, CSSB  312 (HES)  am                 
  would  allow  the Department  of  Education to  require that                 
  school construction projects be phased in.                                   
                                                                               
  Representative Mackie noted that the bill was amended in the                 
  Senate.  The first  amendment allows a school term  to begin                 
  and end on  dates fixed by  the governing  body of a  school                 
  district, as long as the term is equivalent to not less than                 
  180 days.   The  second amendment  would  create four  pilot                 
  projects for special  education services.  He  asserted that                 
  the  legislation  will  allow  more,  smaller and  efficient                 
  schools to be built.                                                         
                                                                               
  Representative Brown provided members with AMENDMENT 1 (copy                 
  on file).   She  explained that  the amendment  would expand                 
  pilot  projects  to allow  inclusion of  intensive students.                 
  The amendment would  increase the  number of pilot  programs                 
  from four to six.                                                            
                                                                               
  DUANE  GUILEY,  FINANCE  DIRECTOR,  DEPARTMENT OF  EDUCATION                 
  expressed concern with the  inclusion of intensive students.                 
  He   noted   that  intensive   students   already  have   an                 
  individualized education program.  He noted that the purpose                 
  of the pilot is to reduce  the number of students identified                 
  as special  education students  in order  to prevent  labels                 
  being  attached  to  students.    He emphasized  that  early                 
  intervention can  prevent students from  receiving the label                 
  of a resource room  student.  He stressed that  the addition                 
  of  "intensive"  students would  make  it more  difficult to                 
  evaluate application and  to provide  measurable gains.   He                 
  noted that the  department supports  the expansion to  eight                 
  pilot programs.  He  added that if the amendment  is adopted                 
  the  department would  write  strict guidelines  determining                 
  when intensive students would be included.                                   
                                                                               
  Representative Brown MOVED  to ADOPT AMENDMENT 1.   Co-Chair                 
  MacLean  MOVED  to DIVIDE  the  question.   There  being  NO                 
  OBJECTION, it was  so ordered.   The  amendment was  divided                 
  into two parts.  Amendment 1A would delete "four" and insert                 
  "eight" on page 3,  line 31.  Amendment 1B would  insert "or                 
  intensive" on page 3, line 17.                                               
                                                                               
  Co-Chair MacLean MOVED to ADOPT  AMENDMENT 1A.  There  being                 
  NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                             
                                                                               
  Representative  Brown  MOVED  to ADOPT  AMENDMENT  1B.   She                 
  emphasized  that  the  bill  states  that  "the  project  is                 
                                                                               
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  designed to demonstrate  appropriate alternative methods  to                 
  meet  the  educational  needs  of  (A)  students  who  would                 
  otherwise receive  resource and self-contained  services and                 
  generate funding at  those levels."   She stressed that  the                 
  issue is  how funding  is distributed  under the  foundation                 
  formula.   The  amendment would  allow funding  to follow  a                 
  severely disabled  child if  they participate  in the  pilot                 
  project.                                                                     
                                                                               
  Representative    Grussendorf    spoke    in   support    of                 
  "mainstreaming"  intensive  students.   Representative Brown                 
  observed that the  amendment would allow students  that must                 
  have an aide with them at all times to spend 1 or 2 hours in                 
  classes with other levels of students.                                       
                                                                               
  A roll call vote  was taken on the motion to adopt AMENDMENT                 
  1B.                                                                          
                                                                               
  IN FAVOR: Parnell, Brown, Foster, Hanley, Martin, Larson                     
  OPPOSED:  Therriault, Grussendorf, Navarre, MacLean                          
                                                                               
  Representative Hoffman was absent from the vote.                             
                                                                               
  The MOTION PASSED (6-4).                                                     
                                                                               
  In  response  to a  question  by Representative  Hanley, Mr.                 
  Guiley discussed sections 2  and 3.  He noted that section 2                 
  will sunset after  June 1, 1994.  Section 3  will extend the                 
  sunset date  on the provision  to allow school  districts to                 
  adopt  a  school  term   of  less  than  180  days   if  the                 
  commissioner approves the use of up to 10 in-service days or                 
  a plan to  provide the educational  equivalent of a 180  day                 
  term.  Members discussed the provisions of section 3.                        
                                                                               
  Representative Navarre noted  that the provision in  current                 
  law was adopted  to allow rural villages to  pursue cultural                 
  and religious activities.                                                    
                                                                               
  Co-Chair MacLean MOVED to  report HCS CSSB 312 (FIN)  out of                 
  Committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  with  the                 
  accompanying fiscal notes.  There being NO OBJECTION, it was                 
  so ordered.                                                                  
                                                                               
  HCS CSSB  312  (FIN)  was  reported out  of  Committee  with                 
  individual recommendation and with two  zero fiscal notes by                 
  the Department of Education.