Legislature(2011 - 2012)CAPITOL 106
03/30/2011 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation(s): Superintendent Lower Yukon School District | |
| HB15 | |
| HB5 | |
| HB199 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 199 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 198 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 15 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 5 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 199-FUNDING FOR STATE BOARDING SCHOOLS
9:26:18 AM
CHAIR DICK announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 199, "An Act amending the funding for statewide
residential educational programs." [In front of the committee
was Version B]
SHEILA PETERSON, Staff, Representative Alan Dick, Alaska State
Legislature, recapped that HB 199 would double the monthly
stipend amount provided to the boarding schools in three school
districts. She relayed that this increase would be in effect
for two years, to allow for all interested parties to further
discuss ways to deliver high school education in rural Alaska.
9:30:02 AM
ELIZABETH SWEENEY NUDELMAN, Director, School Finance and
Facilities Section, Department of Education and Early
Development (EED), offered to answer any questions on the fiscal
note.
9:30:29 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON asked if the amounts listed in the bill
for each region reflected the proposed increase.
9:31:19 AM
MS. NUDELMAN explained that the stipends listed in HB 199 were
for all the state regions, but would only apply to the three
schools in the program. In response to Representative P.
Wilson, she clarified that Mt. Edgecumbe High School was funded
by "a separate funding stream through the department."
9:32:47 AM
CHAIR DICK clarified that the stipends listed in the proposed
bill reflected the doubled amount.
9:33:03 AM
CHAIR DICK asked to clarify that the proposed bill only applied
to Bethel, Galena, and Nenana schools. He noted that other
districts would also like to participate in the stipend
increase, and he asked for a financial projection for this
increase, as well.
9:33:22 AM
MS. NUDELMAN, referring to the statute, stated that the program
was available to "a district that existed January 1, 2005." She
pointed out that there were three programs approved under the
statute. She further explained that the statute regulations
established a period of open applications, and that, currently,
EED did not have a projection for when applications would be
opened or what the cost would be to the state.
9:34:24 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON referred to the Alaska Administrative
Code, AAC 33.090(c). [Included in members' packets] He pointed
out that "when the department determines that establishment of
additional programs are warranted, they can open those things,
but our statute currently does not allow them to do anything."
He noted that applications could be taken, but not instituted,
as the funding formula was only for those schools formed prior
to January 1, 2005. He stated that he would offer a conceptual
amendment to allow EED to accept applications for three
additional programs after July 1, 2011.
9:35:32 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON read from AAC 33.090(d): "this section
does not prevent a governing body from establishing an in-
district residential educational program that is not eligible
for state support for the operation of the residential aspects
of the program." She asked if this could be done immediately.
9:35:51 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON agreed that the district could have a
residential program, but that it currently would not receive any
funding.
9:36:16 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON asked to identify the regions for
Nenana, Galena, and Lower Kuskokwim.
9:36:39 AM
CHAIR DICK offered his belief that Lower Kuskokwim was in the
Southwest Region, and that Nenana and Galena were in the
Interior Region.
9:36:47 AM
MS. NUDELMAN offered her understanding that Lower Kuskokwim was
in the Southwest Region, that Galena was in the Northern Remote
Region, and that Nenana was in the Interior Region.
9:38:09 AM
JERRY COVEY, JSC Consulting LLC, stated his support for HB 199,
and that he was convinced that this was an appropriate action,
as the districts were currently operating on a deficit mode. He
said that he had worked on rural and statewide education issues
for many years. He agreed with an earlier statement for the
necessity to immediately study rural education. He referred to
a report he had submitted to all the committee members, "A Time
for Change Improving Educations Delivery for Alaska's Small
Rural High Schools," [Included in members' packets] which
addressed the issues critical to the success of small rural high
schools.
9:40:42 AM
ERIC GEBHART, Superintendent, Nenana City School District,
provided a PowerPoint, "Nenana Student Living Center," to
highlight the Nenana Student Living Center (NSLC) enrollment and
capacity statistics and to list the communities it served. The
final slide illustrated a follow-up report on the 93 NSLC
graduates. He stated that he supported HB 199. He pointed out
that the original request had been for triple the current
stipend amount.
9:44:05 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON asked how the extra stipend money would
be used.
9:44:24 AM
MR. GEBHART replied that it was not extra money, as the deficit
was currently being paid through local and foundation support.
He stated that, in addition to maintaining the current academic
program, additional services would also be offered.
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON asked if there would be more programs.
MR. GEBHART said that there would be more programs.
9:45:10 AM
TERESA MAYRAND, President, Nenana City School Board, pointed out
that many of the students were very involved in the community.
She stated her support of HB 199.
9:47:03 AM
DORENE LORENZ, Friends of the Jesse Lee Home, said that this
proposed bill would allow funding for a statewide residential
leadership charter school for one semester of the junior year
for 200 students. She stated support for the amendment that
would be offered to allow further schools.
9:49:13 AM
BOB CRUMLEY, Superintendent, Chugiak School District, stated
support for HB 199, and said that there was a great need for
these schools. He expressed a desire for this bill to provide
funding for the short term, grassroots, vocational residential
programs which met many student needs in rural Alaska high
schools. He asked to be included in any future conversations
regarding regional boarding schools.
9:52:56 AM
JIM SMITH, Superintendent, Galena City School District, directed
attention to the packet, "Galena City School District."
[Included in members' packets] He referred to Exhibit A in the
packet, and he reviewed the Galena Interior Learning Academy
program and the challenges faced in rural Alaska education. He
proceeded to Exhibits B and C, which mapped the home towns and
home districts of the 53 students. He pointed out that Exhibit
D was in response to a request for the 2010 Galena Interior
Learning Academy graduates and their grade point averages. He
explained that Exhibit E was a resolution reflecting the wide
spread, community support for the Galena Interior Learning
Academy. He directed attention to Exhibit F, which was a
response to the questions regarding the funding. He stressed
that this was a 24 hour per day service and included feeding and
care of the students, while only a third of the cost was being
funded by the state. He clarified that the school was in the
Interior Region for funding purposes.
9:58:01 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON asked what percentage of the budget was
used for utilities and insurance.
9:58:38 AM
MR. SMITH replied that the utilities cost about $1 million
annually, and the insurance cost about $260 thousand annually,
as part of the $10 million budget.
9:58:57 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON asked if Galena Interior Learning
Academy would prefer that the state pay the utilities and
insurance, instead of doubling the stipend.
9:59:17 AM
MR. SMITH replied that the food service and residential cost was
about $3 million annually, so payment of utilities and insurance
by the state would amount to about the same as the stipend
request.
10:00:03 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON agreed that the stipend may need to be
increased. She questioned if there was another means to support
these programs that could include all schools.
10:01:29 AM
CHAIR DICK stated that public testimony would remain open, and
that the bill would be held over.
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