03/02/2004 11:06 AM House EDU

HB 405-SCHOOL PERFORMANCE DESIGNATION/REPORT                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 1472                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GATTO announced  that the final order of  business would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL  NO. 405, "An  Act relating  to reports on  school and                                                               
school district  performance; and  relating to  accountability of                                                               
public  schools  and  school  districts;  and  providing  for  an                                                               
effective date."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Number 1498                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE OGG  moved to  adopt HB  405, 23-LS1533\A,  as the                                                               
working document.   There being no objection, HB  405, version A,                                                               
was  before  the House  Special  Committee  on Education  as  the                                                               
working document.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Number 1535                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GATTO,  Alaska State Legislature,  testified as  sponsor of                                                               
HB 405.   He  explained that  he needs  to adopt  some conceptual                                                               
amendments to address drafting errors.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Number 1571                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
LES  MORSE, Director,  Assessment and  Accountability, Department                                                               
of  Education and  Early Development,  testified on  HB 405.   He                                                               
explained that  the one point  in this legislation that  needs to                                                               
be changed is AS 14.03.123(a), on  page 3, lines 13 and 14, which                                                               
reads:                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
      designation of distinguished, successful, deficient,                                                                      
         or in crisis to each public school and school                                                                          
     district.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR.  MORSE said  this  legislation was  intended  to remove  that                                                               
language  and have  one accountability  system that  would be  in                                                               
compliance with the federal requirements.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Number 1603                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  GATTO told  the  members that  the  bill's language  would                                                               
align state  requirements with federal  requirements so  that two                                                               
standards do not have to be met.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Number 1614                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  WILSON moved  conceptual Amendment  1 to  address                                                               
changes in  HB 405 language  to align state standards  in statute                                                               
to meet federal  standards, as those in the No  Child Left Behind                                                               
Act.  There being no objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
[HB 405 was held over.]