Legislature(2023 - 2024)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

04/29/2024 03:30 PM Senate EDUCATION

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Audio Topic
03:30:08 PM Start
03:32:43 PM Confirmation Hearing(s)
04:14:23 PM SB266
05:01:01 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ Consideration of Governor’s Appointees: TELECONFERENCED
Board of Education and Early Development:
Bob Griffin
*+ SB 266 CORRESPONDENCE STUDY PROG; STUDENT ACCTS TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
+ Presentation on the Federal TELECONFERENCED
"Maintenance of Equity" Requirements
-- Invited & Public Testimony --
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
**Streamed live on AKL.tv**
        SB 266-CORRESPONDENCE STUDY PROG; STUDENT ACCTS                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
4:14:23 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR TOBIN announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 266                                                                  
"An  Act relating  to  standards-based  assessments; relating  to                                                               
correspondence study programs; relating  to student fund accounts                                                               
for  correspondence   study  programs;   and  providing   for  an                                                               
effective date."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
4:14:34 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR TOBIN explained  that SB 266 was drafted in  response to an                                                               
Alaska  Superior  Court  decision,  issued  two  weeks  ago.  The                                                               
decision found  that two sections  of state law  regarding Public                                                               
Correspondence  Programsspecifically   related to  Individualized                                                               
Education Plans (IEPs)  and allotmentsunconstitutional.  She said                                                               
that to ensure these programs  remain available to correspondence                                                               
families, the Alaska  legislature acted quickly to  draft SB 266.                                                               
She highlighted the following key components of SB 266:                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
   • SB 266 reinstates statewide assessments for all public-                                                                    
     school   students.   Parents   will   receive   a   two-week                                                               
     notification  of testing  dates,  and  students observing  a                                                               
     religious  holiday may  opt  out.  Accommodations under  the                                                               
     Individuals   with   Disabilities   Education   Act   remain                                                               
     unaffected. This  provision addresses a conflict  with House                                                               
     Bill  146  (2016),  which  allowed parents  to  opt  out  of                                                               
     statewide assessments.  She noted that this  violates a 2007                                                               
     Superior Court  ruling that  requires the  state to  have an                                                               
     adequate  method of  assessing whether  students meet  state                                                               
     standards.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
   • SB 266 reinstates the 2008 Department of Education and                                                                     
     Early Development  (DEED) correspondence  program regulatory                                                               
     package, originally enacted  under the Palin administration.                                                               
     This  package  best  aligns with  requirements  in  Alaska's                                                               
     Constitution. It  allows DEED or local  districts to provide                                                               
     correspondence programs  and student fund  accounts (renamed                                                               
     from  allotments),  designed   for  individualized  academic                                                               
     instruction.  The State  Board of  Education is  required to                                                               
     establish regulations for student  fund accounts, which must                                                               
     comply  with SB  266  prohibitions against  using funds  for                                                               
     partisan, sectarian, or denominational materials.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
   • Unspent student fund account balances must be returned at                                                                  
     the  end of  each year,  with detailed  annual reporting  on                                                               
     expenditures.   These  stipulations   align  with   existing                                                               
     requirements for brick-and-mortar schools.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
   • SB    266    strengthens    reporting    requirements    for                                                               
     correspondence  programs.  DEED  must annually  provide  the                                                               
     legislature with data  on student demographics, expenditures                                                               
     from   student    fund   accounts,    statewide   assessment                                                               
     performance, and administrative costs.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR TOBIN concluded that the SB 266 aims to prevent recurrence                                                                
of the legal issues addressed in the court's decision.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
4:18:03 PM                                                                                                                    
MICHAEL   MASON,  Staff,   Senator  Löki   Tobin,  Alaska   State                                                               
Legislature,  Juneau, Alaska,  said  the  goal of  SB  266 is  to                                                               
provide  clear  guidance  and   guardrails  for  Alaska's  public                                                               
correspondence programs. He delivered  the sectional analysis for                                                               
SB 266:                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
[Original punctuation provided.]                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
         Senate Bill 266  Correspondence Study Programs                                                                     
                                                                                                                              
                 Version B  Sectional Analysis                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Section  1     Amends  AS 14.03.016  by  repealing  the                                                                    
     blanket withdrawal provisions  of statewide assessments                                                                    
     for students in K-12.  The statutory requirement for at                                                                    
     least  two-week notification  of statewide  assessments                                                                    
     remains unchanged.  Parents may still  withdrawal their                                                                    
     public-school   participating   child  from   statewide                                                                    
     assessments  when  testing   dates  fall  on  religious                                                                    
     holidays.  Accommodations for  students covered  by the                                                                    
     Individuals with  Disabilities Education Act,  who have                                                                    
     a 504 or Transition  Impairment Plan, or are identified                                                                    
     as English Learners are not affected by this repeal.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Section  2    Adds  a new  subsection  to AS  14.03.300                                                                    
     requiring  the  Alaska  Department of  Education  or  a                                                                    
     local  school  district   report  annually  on  student                                                                    
     participation  in their  correspondence study  program.                                                                    
     The  report   must  include   demographic  information,                                                                    
     expenditures   made   by   a  student   fund   account,                                                                    
     appropriately  aggregated  performance on  a  statewide                                                                    
     assessment,  and administrative  costs associated  with                                                                    
     operation of the correspondence study program.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Section  3    Repeals  and  reenacts  AS 14.03.310  and                                                                    
     reinstates  components of  a 2008  correspondence study                                                                    
     program  regulatory package  promulgated by  the Alaska                                                                    
     Department  of Education  and Early  Development. Under                                                                    
     AS  14.03.310,   the  department  or  a   local  school                                                                    
     district  may  provide  a correspondent  study  program                                                                    
     enrollee  a  fund  account  to   meet  the  purpose  of                                                                    
     providing  individualized   academic  instruction.  The                                                                    
     department  or a  local school  district is  prohibited                                                                    
     from  supplanting federally  required  services with  a                                                                    
     student fund  account. AS  14.03.310 directs  the State                                                                    
     Board  of  Education  and Early  Development  to  adopt                                                                    
     regulations   pertaining   to  student   fund   account                                                                    
     expenditures    and     outlines    stipulations    for                                                                    
     regulations.  The 2  regulations  must  comply with  AS                                                                    
     14.03.090,  which prohibits  educators or  schools from                                                                    
     advocating for  partisan, sectarian,  or denominational                                                                    
     doctrines  and   AS  14.18.060,  which   prohibits  the                                                                    
     selection of textbook  and instructional materials that                                                                    
     are  biased  toward  one  sex.  Regulations  propagated                                                                    
     under   this   section   also  must   meet   additional                                                                    
     requirements  outlined under  new sections  (e) through                                                                    
     (g) of AS 14.03.310. The  new AS 14.03.310 also directs                                                                    
     the  department  or  local public  school  district  to                                                                    
     return  the  unexpended  student fund  balance  to  the                                                                    
     budget  of the  department  or  district including  any                                                                    
     funds  that remain  when a  student  disenrolls from  a                                                                    
     correspondence study program.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
4:21:12 PM                                                                                                                    
MR. MASON continued the sectional analysis of SB 266:                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
[Original punctuation provided.]                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Section 4   Amends  AS 14.07.168 to include information                                                                    
     collected  under the  new subsection  established under                                                                    
     AS  14.03.300 in  the annual  report  submitted by  the                                                                    
     State Board  of Education and Early  Development to the                                                                    
     Alaska State Legislature.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Section 5    Amends AS  14.07.158, sec. 23, ch.  40 SLA                                                                    
     2022, which repeals AS 14.07.168  (4) on June 30, 2034,                                                                    
     to include in the annual  report provided to the Alaska                                                                    
     Legislature by the Alaska Board  of Education and Early                                                                    
     Development that  includes the  information established                                                                    
     under   the  new   subsection   established  under   AS                                                                    
     14.03.300. Section  4 and 5  relate to the  2034 repeal                                                                    
     of the  Alaska Reads Act, ensuring  continued reporting                                                                    
     of the information collected under AS 14.03.300.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Section 6  Repeals AS 14.03.300 (b).                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Section  7    Stipulates  that Section  5  of this  Act                                                                    
     takes effect on the effective  date of sec. 23, ch. 40,                                                                    
     SLA 2022.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
      Section 8  Sets an immediate effective date for the                                                                       
     Act, except for Section 7.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:24:33 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR TOBIN asked for a review of the fiscal note for SB 266.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
4:24:42 PM                                                                                                                    
DEBORAH RIDDLE,  Operations Manager,  Division of  Innovation and                                                               
Education   Excellence,  Department   of   Education  and   Early                                                               
Development (DEED), Juneau,  Alaska, said the fiscal  note for SB
266, from the Department of  Education and Early Development, OMB                                                               
component 2796, dated  April 26, 2024, is  a one-time expenditure                                                               
of $6,000 for the development  of regulations with the Department                                                               
of Law.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:25:21 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR KIEHL shared  that when he and his  wife homeschooled one                                                               
of  their   children,  program  funding  partially   assisted  in                                                               
purchasing a  computer for schoolwork.  He noted  the prohibition                                                               
on  items  purchased  with   homeschool  support  funds  becoming                                                               
personal  property and  asked whether,  under the  current rules,                                                               
his daughter  could have retained  the computer she used  for six                                                               
years.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
4:26:19 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR TOBIN  asked him to  clarify if  he meant in  perpetuity or                                                               
for the full six years.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR KIEHL  replied that  he meant in  perpetuity. He  said he                                                               
recalled  language  in  SB   266  prohibiting  keeping  textbooks                                                               
indefinitely and attaching items to a home.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
4:26:48 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR TOBIN  stated her belief  that currently in  regulation the                                                               
value of the computer would  be depreciated over time and parents                                                               
may  have the  option to  purchase  the item  at the  depreciated                                                               
value.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
4:27:11 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  KIEHL asked  about the  boundaries for  purchasing items                                                               
like  curriculum and  noted that  defining what  qualifies as  an                                                               
educational   institution  will   likely   be   central  to   the                                                               
committee's  considerations.  He  used McGraw  Hill,  a  textbook                                                               
publisher, as an  example, suggesting it presumably  would not be                                                               
considered an educational institution.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
4:27:46 PM                                                                                                                    
MR. MASON  stated his  understanding that  textbooks would  be an                                                               
authorized expense  under SB 266,  provided they are  approved by                                                               
the  correspondence program.  He  clarified that  if McGraw  Hill                                                               
produced textbooks  approved by the program,  those would qualify                                                               
as an allowable expense.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:28:16 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR TOBIN  referred to  SB 266, page  three, lines  3-13, which                                                               
directs  the  State  Board  of  Education  to  adopt  regulations                                                               
requiring the  department and  districts to  approve expenditures                                                               
for  correspondence  study  programs. She  explained  that  these                                                               
regulations  would  define  allowable expenses  and  be  outlined                                                               
through the regulation process.  Additionally, she highlighted SB
266,   page   four,   lines    24-25,   which   provides   school                                                               
administrators   with  some   flexibility  to   approve  specific                                                               
expenditures if  they align with a  student's Individual Learning                                                               
Plan.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:29:29 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR KIEHL  noted prohibitions in  SB 266 on  purchasing items                                                               
like  clothing  and PE  equipment.  He  explained that  while  an                                                               
allotment could  be used for part  of the cost of  a computer, it                                                               
could not  be used  to purchase  a bicycle  for PE.  He mentioned                                                               
receiving  questions  via email  about  using  allotments for  PE                                                               
classes or instruction,  such as a dance class or  ski lesson, to                                                               
fulfill   a  physical   education  requirement.   He  asked   for                                                               
clarification on the restrictions for such expenditures.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:30:21 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR TOBIN  referred to SB  266, pages 4-5, lines  26-2, which                                                               
provide guidance  on allowable  expenditures. She  explained that                                                               
the  2008 regulations,  chosen over  the 2005  version, are  more                                                               
permissive and  allow students  using a  student fund  account to                                                               
contract  with  private  individuals  for  tutoring,  fine  arts,                                                               
music, and  physical education as  part of their  learning plans.                                                               
She clarified that  for other subjects, such as  advanced math or                                                               
geophysics,    a   certificated    teacher   employed    by   the                                                               
correspondence  program  and  qualified   in  those  subjects  is                                                               
required. However,  private individuals may provide  services for                                                               
fine arts, music, and physical education.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:32:09 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR TOBIN opened public testimony on SB 266.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:32:18 PM                                                                                                                    
LARAE SMITH,  representing self, Houston, Alaska,  testified with                                                               
concerns  on SB  266. She  said  she is  a graduate  of the  IDEA                                                               
correspondence program and a private  music teacher. She said she                                                               
was confused  over vague language  in SB 266  regarding tutoring,                                                               
specifically the prohibition on  private or religious educational                                                               
institutions, and questioned what  qualifies as an "institution."                                                               
She also sought clarification on  restrictions in SB 266, Section                                                               
3(b)  regarding student  fund accounts  and Individual  Education                                                               
Program (IEP)  services, worried it might  exclude music lessons.                                                               
Additionally, she  opposed the prohibition  in SB 266  on funding                                                               
for  field   trips  and  memberships,  arguing   that  homeschool                                                               
students  should have  the  same  opportunities as  public-school                                                               
students.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:34:34 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR TOBIN clarified that the  language on supplanting in SB 266                                                               
prohibits  using district  funds to  replace federally  obligated                                                               
funding required  for a  student's Individualized  Education Plan                                                               
(IEP) under  the federal Individuals with  Disabilities Education                                                               
Act.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:35:05 PM                                                                                                                    
MAUREEN CRUMLEY, representing  self, Anchorage, Alaska, testified                                                               
in opposition to SB 266. She  stated that parents should have the                                                               
ability  to  use  funding  for   tutors  in  all  core  subjects,                                                               
equipment for physical education,  and services from religious or                                                               
private educational institutions to  best educate their children.                                                               
She  stated that  her community  has  excellent opportunities  in                                                               
these  areas, which  should be  accessible to  all families.  She                                                               
argued that  the changes proposed  in SB 266 appear  to undermine                                                               
the current correspondence  school program, potentially affecting                                                               
over  22,000 students.  She concluded  by asserting  that SB  266                                                               
limits Alaska parents' ability to  provide the best education for                                                               
their children.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:36:35 PM                                                                                                                    
AMANDA WRAITH,  representing self, Wasilla, Alaska,  testified in                                                               
opposition to  SB 266. She  expressed her commitment  to ensuring                                                               
all  Alaskan  children  receive an  education  that  meets  their                                                               
unique needs and develops their  individual gifts. She shared her                                                               
recent   experiences  supporting   IDEA   students  at   national                                                               
competitions,  highlighting the  valuable opportunities  provided                                                               
by  the  correspondence  program.  She emphasized  the  need  for                                                               
equitable  funding, asserting  that public  funding available  to                                                               
public  schools  should  also  be  available  for  correspondence                                                               
programs.  She   criticized  SB  266  for   limiting  educational                                                               
opportunities for students  and described it as  a harmful threat                                                               
to parents' rights and Alaska's education system.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
4:39:09 PM                                                                                                                    
STACEY LANGE, representing self,  Anchorage, Alaska, testified in                                                               
opposition to  SB 266  arguing that  it violates  her fundamental                                                               
right  as  a   parent  to  direct  her   child's  upbringing  and                                                               
education.  She  emphasized  the  importance  of  school  choice,                                                               
stating that parents, not bureaucrats,  are best suited to decide                                                               
what educational  path is  best for  their children.  Citing poor                                                               
educational  outcomes  in  the   Anchorage  School  District  and                                                               
Alaska's low  national rankings,  she argued  that SB  266, along                                                               
with recent  correspondence school regulations,  appears designed                                                               
to force families  back into public schools.  She referenced U.S.                                                               
Supreme  Court rulings,  including Pierce  v. Society  of Sisters                                                               
(1925),  Espinosa v.  Montana Department  of Revenue  (2020), and                                                               
Carson v. Makin (2022), which  affirmed parents' rights to choose                                                               
religious schools under school  choice programs without violating                                                               
the Free  Exercise Clause  of the First  Amendment of  the United                                                               
States. She asserted  that SB 266 violates this  clause and urged                                                               
its rejection.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:41:31 PM                                                                                                                    
KATHERINE   GARDNER,   Deputy    Superintendent,   Business   and                                                               
Operations,  Matsu  Borough   School  District,  Palmer,  Alaska,                                                               
testified  on SB  266. She  thanked the  committee for  reviewing                                                               
correspondence programs  and allotments,  noting that  16 percent                                                               
of  Mat-Su   School  District   students  participate   in  these                                                               
programs.  She   shared  that  Mat-Su   Central  School   is  the                                                               
district's  largest  school  and   will  move  into  a  permanent                                                               
facility  next year.  She  expressed  support for  correspondence                                                               
families and  appreciation to the Senate  Education Committee for                                                               
addressing this  topic. She  added that  the Mat-Su  School Board                                                               
will review the legislation and provide feedback in the future.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:43:09 PM                                                                                                                    
STARLA HALBROOK, representing  self, Fairbanks, Alaska, testified                                                               
in  opposition  to SB  266  highlighting  the value  of  Alaska's                                                               
current  homeschool laws,  which  she described  as generous  and                                                               
supportive  of hands-on  learning  experiences  that benefit  her                                                               
children's education  and health. She expressed  concern over the                                                               
potential  elimination of  the rollover  of unused  funds, noting                                                               
that  many  families rely  on  these  for high  school  education                                                               
expenses.  She  suggested  increasing  funding  for  high  school                                                               
students to  ensure adequate resources  for graduation.  She also                                                               
appealed  to  the  Senate to  keep  mandatory  testing  optional,                                                               
emphasizing  the   role  of   advisory  teachers   in  supporting                                                               
families.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:45:41 PM                                                                                                                    
JOEL  HALBROOK, representing  self, Fairbanks,  Alaska, testified                                                               
with concerns  on SB 266. He  stated that the allotment  has made                                                               
schooling  enjoyable and  beneficial  for his  family. He  shared                                                               
that it helps  with purchasing resources like  Legos for learning                                                               
robotics and  science, as well  as canvases and art  supplies for                                                               
art and  writing. He  highlighted the ability  to pay  small fees                                                               
for IDEA  clubs and access  educational opportunities  at museums                                                               
and zoos to learn about history, geology, and biology.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
4:46:30 PM                                                                                                                    
SARAH  GROVER, representing  self,  Fairbanks, Alaska,  testified                                                               
with  concerns  on  SB  266. She  emphasized  the  importance  of                                                               
maintaining the current funding  structure and increasing funding                                                               
for   high   school   students  to   expand   their   educational                                                               
opportunities. She noted  the value of allowing  access to tutors                                                               
and  private  education  for  subjects  where  parents  may  lack                                                               
expertise. She thanked the committee for supporting the program.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
4:47:13 PM                                                                                                                    
ERICKA  BEERY, representing  self, Juneau,  Alaska, testified  in                                                               
opposition to SB 266 arguing  that allotments are already subject                                                               
to strict  oversight, including receipts and  Individual Learning                                                               
Plan  (ILP)   alignment,  and  cannot   be  used   for  religious                                                               
materials. She described SB 266  as restrictive, likening it to a                                                               
vice   pushing   children   back   into   neighborhood   schools,                                                               
particularly by  removing the option  to opt out  of standardized                                                               
tests, which  she said yield  delayed and unhelpful  results. She                                                               
criticized  SB  266  for restricting  allotments  for  PE-related                                                               
expenses  despite rising  childhood obesity  and diabetes  rates.                                                               
She also  opposed the prohibition on  allotments covering parents                                                               
accompanying  students  to   museums,  noting  that  neighborhood                                                               
schoolteachers are  not required  to pay for  field trips  out of                                                               
pocket. She  questioned who  SB 266  benefits, asserting  that it                                                               
does not serve the best interests of children.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:49:58 PM                                                                                                                    
HOWARD  BEERY, representing  self, Juneau,  Alaska, testified  in                                                               
opposition to  SB 266.  He stated that  the lawsuit  prompting SB
266 arose from a single  correspondence school misusing funds for                                                               
religious    education,   emphasizing    that   this    was   not                                                               
representative of all correspondence  schools. He argued that one                                                               
incident should  not lead  to overhauling  the entire  system. He                                                               
also opposed the  prohibition on rolling over  funds, noting that                                                               
saving  for  costly  endeavors  like  a  pilot's  license,  which                                                               
supports trades  needed in Alaska,  would no longer  be possible.                                                               
He questioned  whether the  National Education  Association (NEA)                                                               
had  any  role  in  drafting  SB 266  and  urged  legislators  to                                                               
prioritize students over organizations like the NEA.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:51:18 PM                                                                                                                    
LON GARRISON,  Executive Director,  Association of  Alaska School                                                               
Boards,  Juneau,  Alaska,  testified  on  SB  266.  He  expressed                                                               
support  for  SB   266  as  a  starting  point   to  address  the                                                               
constitutional violation  identified by  a superior  court judge,                                                               
ensuring  that  correspondence  programs can  continue  operating                                                               
within legal boundaries.  He acknowledged that SB  266 would make                                                               
some changes to how correspondence  programs are administered but                                                               
emphasized   ASB's  strong   support   for   these  schools.   He                                                               
highlighted  the 85-year  history of  correspondence programs  in                                                               
Alaska, dating  back to 1936,  and their importance  in providing                                                               
educational options in  a geographically vast state.  He said the                                                               
ASB  looks  forward  to  working  on SB  266  to  support  public                                                               
education options like correspondence programs.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:53:46 PM                                                                                                                    
EMILY  FERRY, representing  self,  Juneau,  Alaska, testified  in                                                               
support of SB  266 emphasizing the need  for homeschool families,                                                               
neighborhood schools,  charter schools, teachers,  and principals                                                               
to  have support  and certainty.  She stated  that resolving  the                                                               
issues identified  in the Superior  Court decision  quickly would                                                               
provide  stability   and  allow   focus  to  return   to  broader                                                               
challenges, such  as underfunding and  lack of investment  in the                                                               
education  system. She  noted that  her  family values  religious                                                               
education  and skiing,  which they  personally  fund, and  argued                                                               
that it is  reasonable to treat homeschool  families equitably in                                                               
similar situations.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:55:08 PM                                                                                                                    
MADELINE RANCH,  representing self, Juneau, Alaska,  testified in                                                               
opposition  to SB  266.  She expressed  concern  as a  homeschool                                                               
student about  the potential  impact of SB  266 on  students like                                                               
her who rely on  correspondence programs to advance academically.                                                               
She shared her efforts to get  ahead in her studies by completing                                                               
geometry  over  the summer  and  emphasized  that many  students,                                                               
including   those    struggling   academically,    benefit   from                                                               
opportunities to improve through  extra effort. She described her                                                               
family's  financial  challenges,   including  limited  access  to                                                               
technology,  such  as  a computer,  and  stated  that  purchasing                                                               
necessary tools  would be a  significant burden. She  shared that                                                               
her sister,  after facing personal challenges,  might need access                                                               
to homeschooling  in the future,  which SB 266 could  hinder. She                                                               
concluded  that SB  266 would  negatively affect  her and  others                                                               
seeking a proper education.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
4:57:45 PM                                                                                                                    
KIMBERLY  BERGEY, Program  Director, Raven  Homeschool, testified                                                               
with concerns  on SB 266. She  stated that although she  is based                                                               
in the  Palmer-Wasilla area, she supervises  the Raven Homeschool                                                               
program statewide.  She emphasized the need  to consider Alaska's                                                               
vast geography and dispersed families  when reviewing SB 266. She                                                               
urged  the  committee to  avoid  creating  equity issues  between                                                               
urban and  rural areas, highlighting that  many rural communities                                                               
lack access  to physical  education facilities  and must  rely on                                                               
purchasing PE equipment for their  children. She also pointed out                                                               
that  some language  in SB  266,  such as  the term  "educational                                                               
institution,"   needs   clarification    to   ensure   consistent                                                               
interpretation.  She cited  past  state  purchases from  entities                                                               
like North Dakota  and Calvert Education and  questioned how such                                                               
providers fit the definitions in SB 266.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
5:00:19 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR TOBIN left public testimony open on SB 266.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
5:00:43 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR TOBIN held SB 266 in committee.                                                                                           

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
Bob Griffin resume 04.24.2024.pdf SEDC 4/29/2024 3:30:00 PM
Education
Bob Griffin - Confirmation Testimony - Received as of 04.30.2024.pdf SEDC 4/29/2024 3:30:00 PM
Education
Bob Griffin Supporting Document - Handout 1 04.29.2024.pdf SEDC 4/29/2024 3:30:00 PM
Education
Bob Griffin Supporting Document - 2022 NAEP and 2023 AK Star Bar Charts 04.29.2024.pdf SEDC 4/29/2024 3:30:00 PM
Education
SB 266 Version B 04.26.2024.pdf SEDC 4/29/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 266
SB 266 Sponsor Statement 04.29.2024.pdf SEDC 4/29/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 266
SB 266 Version B Sectional Analysis 04.29.2024.pdf SEDC 4/29/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 266
SB 266 Fiscal Note EED-SSA 04.26.2024.pdf SEDC 4/29/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 266
SB 266 Testimony Part 1 - Received as of 04.29.2029.pdf SEDC 4/29/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 266
SB 266 Testimony Part 2 - Received as of 04.29.2024.pdf SEDC 4/29/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 266
SB 266 Supporting Document - April 12 Superior Court Ruling 04.29.2024.pdf SEDC 4/29/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 266
SB 266 Supporting Document - Legal Services Memo Requested by Sen. Tobin 04.24.2024.pdf SEDC 4/29/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 266
SB 266 Supporting Document - 2005 Alaska Correspondence Program Regulations 04.20.2024.pdf SEDC 4/29/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 266
SB 266 Supporting Document - 2008 Alaska Correspondence Program Regulations 04.29.2024.pdf SEDC 4/29/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 266
SB 266 Supporting Document - 2016 Alaska Correspondence Program Regulations 04.29.2024.pdf SEDC 4/29/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 266
SB 266 Supporting Document - NAEP 2022 Math Grade 4 Snapshot 04.29.2024.pdf SEDC 4/29/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 266
SB 266 Supporting Document - NAEP 2022 Reading Grade 4 Snapshot 04.29.2024.pdf SEDC 4/29/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 266
SB 266 Supporting Document - NAEP 2022 Math Grade 8 Snapshot 04.29.2024.pdf SEDC 4/29/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 266
SB 266 Supporting Document - NAEP 2022 Reading Grade 8 Snapshot 04.29.2024.pdf SEDC 4/29/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 266
SB 266 Supporting Document - 2023 Alaska Assessment Policy and Test Security Handbook 04.29.2024.PDF SEDC 4/29/2024 3:30:00 PM
Education
SB1237