04/14/1998 04:05 PM House HES

HB 429 - REQUIRING VOCATIONAL EDUCATION                                        
                                                                               
Number 2234                                                                    
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN BUNDE announced the next bill to come before the committee            
was HB 429, "An Act relating to vocational education."  The                    
committee had heard this bill before and would not be taking public            
testimony at this hearing.  He referred to a letter he received                
from the Anchorage School District expressing concern with delayed             
graduation and asked Representative Austerman if he had any                    
thoughts to share on that issue.                                               
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE ALAN AUSTERMAN said he had just read the letter and             
he hadn't introduced this legislation to do battle with the                    
Anchorage School District.  This bill has only one committee                   
referral - the HESS Committee - and if committee members have a                
problem with the way the bill is drafted in terms of how the other             
school districts around the state are doing business, he would                 
prefer the bill be held in committee until it can be resolved                  
rather than moving it on.                                                      
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN BUNDE pointed out this bill will go on to the Finance                 
Committee because there is an indeterminate fiscal note.                       
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE AUSTERMAN said he would prefer the bill be held in              
committee until such time as he has an opportunity to work with the            
Anchorage School District.                                                     
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE GREEN asked if in the rework of the bill there would            
be some way to maintain the concept but have an exemption for                  
individuals who are obviously headed for college, so they don't get            
held back.                                                                     
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE AUSTERMAN agreed with Representative Green and based            
on the letter from the Anchorage School District, it appears they              
have set up a college plan and those students not wanting that have            
the option for vocational education.  He noted there's sort of a               
conflict in the letter and the original information he had received            
from the Anchorage School District.                                            
                                                                               
TAPE 98-46, SIDE B                                                             
Number 0002                                                                    
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN BUNDE said he didn't want to see the Anchorage School                 
District producing educated idiots in that they are very bright                
when it comes to calculus, but can't get out of the rain when it               
comes to doing some of the practical things.                                   
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE AUSTERMAN said the letter from the Anchorage School             
District indicates this would only affect 30 percent of their                  
students; it's the other 70 percent that he's concerned with.                  
                                                                               
Number 0044                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE PORTER recalled the committee had previously                    
indicated a need to define "vocational education."                             
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE AUSTERMAN said there is a definition in the                     
regulations.                                                                   
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN BUNDE noted that HB 429 would be held in committee at the             
request of the sponsor.