Legislature(2003 - 2004)
03/25/2003 03:00 PM House HES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 154-UNDER SCHOOL AGE STUDENTS Number 2337 CHAIR WILSON announced that the next order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 154, "An Act relating to admission to and advancement in public schools of children under school age; and providing for an effective date." Number 2318 EDDY JEANS, Manager, School Finance and Facilities Section, Education Support Services, Department of Education and Early Development, testified in support of HB 154 and answered questions from the members. He told the committee the Department of Education and Early Development and Governor Murkowski have requested that the committee hear this bill because it has come to the department's attention over the last couple of years that there are a number of school districts in the state that are enrolling basically all four-year-olds in their communities into what is called a two-year kindergarten program. The department has discouraged districts from entering into this practice. The statute does have a loophole in it that allows districts to provide early entry of under-school-aged students if they are ready for the program that is being offered. That is where the department runs into problems because the program offered has broad language that leaves it wide open for districts to interpret the language the way they like. The department is not looking at this as a mechanism to keep the four-year-old that is an exceptional child out of public schools early. This is simply a way to provide direction to all school districts that the intent of this legislation was not to enroll all four-year-olds. The districts that are practicing this are getting 14 years of funding as opposed to 13 years of funding through the foundation program. Mr. Jeans said there is a fiscal note that shows a $3.9 million savings to the foundation program. Number 2231 JOHN DAVIS, Superintendent, Bering Strait School District, testified via teleconference in opposition to HB 154. He said Governor Murkowski has proposed several reductions in education funding in an effort to control state expenditures in line with revenues, and HB 154 is one of them. He asked why any reasonable person would object to the needed sacrifice to accomplish this goal. Mr. Davis said his concern is twofold. The cost of the bill when saving money is in the short term. This is about providing services to a group of children who are the most vulnerable and the most educationally needy. He said the reduction of funding for the program will not create the $3.9 million savings represented. He contended that the bill will cost his district and the state additional funds, remedial services, and other special services to help a segment of the student population that needs all the help it can get. Second, the students most impacted by this bill are not large in number and do not hold sway as many others do with other concerns. He asked the committee not to ask more of these children than would be asked of others. Early childhood education is clearly one of the best investments in a child's education. CHAIR WILSON asked Mr. Jeans how much more it would cost the state if every school started having two-year kindergarten. Number 2175 MR. JEANS replied that the department has estimated that it would cost approximately $60 million to the foundation program if all four-year-olds in the state were enrolled in public schools. The other piece of this equation that the committee needs to be aware of is that any students that the state provides funding for through the foundation program automatically become eligible for space under the school construction guidelines. In other words, the state would have to build bigger schools to serve a larger population. He said it is not just the foundation program that is being addressed; it is the foundation program as well as school construction. Number 2138 CARL ROSE, Executive Director, Association of Alaska School Boards, testified in opposition to HB 154 and responded to questions by the committee. He told the committee he agrees with the comments the members just heard from Superintendent Davis. There is an inconsistency that the committee is looking at here. In 1998 the legislature passed the High School Graduation Qualifying Exam (HSGQE) and it was recognized by everyone then that it was the wrong end to start. That recognition of the problem started the movement towards benchmark examinations. What was determined after looking at the benchmark scores was that the most critical benchmark was the third grade because it was apparent to many that the kids who were not on step by the first benchmark would not be able to take advantage of the stronger curriculum that was going to be offered. This had brought in the discussion of a preparation gap. That preparation gap is children who come to school, some of the most needy that Superintendent Davis was talking about, who do not have a grasp of numbers, letters, or colors. Some of these students are going to be placed in a situation at some point in time where they will be measured up to standards, and if they do not have the tools they need by the time they hit the third-grade benchmark, they will be at risk. MR. ROSE said that he was looking at statistics that come off a web site that show in the large urban areas in terms of reading, writing, and math, there is 75 percent proficiency in reading, 87 percent proficiency in writing, and 67 percent proficiency in math. He contrasted that with large Western and Interior REAAs [Rural Education Attendance Areas], and large Western single- site schools where the numbers drop off dramatically, from 75 percent in reading to 24, 22, and 10 percent proficiency; in writing from 87 percent to 56, 49, and 47 percent proficiency; and in math from 67 percent to 30, 37, and 20 percent proficiency. Number 2016 MR. ROSE said the data is clear that the people who are availing themselves of this particular program are the kids who need it most. That is the inconsistency where the state has placed an emphasis on student standards and benchmarks, and even retitled the department of education to the Department of Education and Early Development. He asked where the emphasis on early development is. He said he agrees that there are other ways in some communities to provide early development, but in communities where proficiency is low, the only place these children can go is the public school system. Mr. Rose asked in talking about inconsistency and the preparation gap to make sure kids are prepared to take advantage of the rich curriculum the state will be offering them. He questioned how to deal with this in areas that do not have the ability to do it for themselves. It is a policy call that he hopes the committee will look at that is not just about saving money or of having a fear that every school district will avail itself by enrolling all four-year-olds. Mr. Rose said he believes this is an opportunity for those kids who need enrichment to get it, and he hopes that more emphasis will be placed on early development. Number 1982 CHAIR WILSON commented that this is a policy call. Do the members believe the state should be offering a two-year kindergarten program or not? REPRESENTATIVE SEATON asked if Mr. Rose is suggesting that the state limit the two-year kindergarten to rural districts and prohibit the urban districts from having the same sorts of funding. Number 1959 MR. ROSE responded that is not what he is suggesting. He clarified his comments by saying that some kids can avail themselves of programs and have an opportunity to receive the kind of enrichment they need, while other kids do not. As a system, even through the foundation formula, the state tries to account for that through the factoring that is done. He said he is not suggesting that the state have two years of kindergarten as a policy call. The question is how the kids whom need it most can get the kind of assistance and enrichment they need. That is the policy question that needs to be addressed. Number 1937 REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA commented that many parents do not want their children to leave for school at an early age. This would not require two years of kindergarten; it only says they could attend. REPRESENTATIVE SEATON commented that many districts, including urban districts and his district on the Kenai Peninsula, are going through severe cuts because of a drop in student population. If the two-year kindergarten program is available, he said he is sure the Kenai Peninsula School District will encourage everyone that it can possibly get to take advantage of the program because it is a full-time equivalent for another segment of students. Representative Seaton said that it would not be necessary to build new schools; in fact, there are plenty of rooms in the existing schools. But there would definitely be a need for funds for more teachers. Number 1865 REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL asked Mr. Jeans, if this bill passes, whether youngsters who demonstrate the ability to progress through the grade levels would be able to enroll. MR. JEANS responded that he is correct. REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL asked if he is correct in assuming there is some discretionary measure with the districts on enrollment policy. Number 1850 MR. JEANS responded that he is correct. REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL commented that this bill would not be kicking kindergarteners out of school, but narrowing the scope. MR. JEANS said he has made an effort to be very clear that this bill is not intended to prohibit the exceptional four-year-old from enrolling in kindergarten with the expectation that the child will advance to the first grade in the next year. This simply addresses an issue that the department has become aware of since collecting student-level data from all school districts. Some districts appear to be enrolling all four-year- olds in their public schools and holding them at the kindergarten level for a two-year period. Number 1778 MARY FRANCIS, Executive Director, Alaska Council of School Administrators, testified on HB 154. She pointed out that exceptional children, both gifted and with special needs, do have access to early participation in school programs. That is mandated by law. CHAIR WILSON clarified that with or without this bill, exceptional children on both ends of the scale will be served. MS. FRANCIS replied that is correct. She said there is an appropriate screening device, which is part of the law. School administrators developed a psychological test that students are required to take for exceptionality that shows their preparation for kindergarten, with the total expectation that they were fully able to meet the kindergarten expectation and not spend two years at that level. CHAIR WILSON announced that the committee would take a brief at- ease at 4:15 p.m. The committee reconvened at 4:18 p.m. Number 1718 CHAIR WILSON announced that HB 154 would be held over.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|