Legislature(1999 - 2000)
05/11/1999 05:35 PM Senate FIN
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 112(HES)
"An Act relating to a program of postsecondary
education for high school students."
This was the first hearing for this bill in the Senate
Finance Committee.
Senator KIM ELTON, sponsor, testified that the bill would
give high school students and families new academic options
at no cost. The bill was termed "The Running Start
Education Program". In this program, 11th and 12th grade
high school students will get dual credit for courses taken
at a publicly funded Alaska college or vocational school.
These credits would apply toward both the high school and
college (or vocational school) graduation requirements. The
tuition fees would be paid by the student's home school
district.
Senator Kim Elton suggested that this concept is not
unusual; twenty other jurisdictions had similar programs
and SB 112 is based on a Washington State program. He noted
that other states require the families pay the tuition
costs rather than the school districts.
Senator Kim Elton testified to the benefits of the Running
Start Program. The program would expand course options
beyond what is available at the participating student's
high school. He stressed that this was especially valuable
for gifted and talented students.
Senator Kim Elton added that the program would also provide
opportunities to enroll in technical courses, which is good
for those students not on the academic tract. The technical
courses could help get those students ready to enter the
work world.
Senator Kim Elton pointed out the 2.75 grade point average
eligibility requirement for the program, and indicated that
there is a provision allowing school administrators to
waive the stipulation for certain students. The waiver is
important to allow some students, who are not planning to
pursue a college degree, to obtain vocational training. He
also noted that the participants would have to be students
"in good standing" at the school district where they are
enrolled.
Senator Kim Elton explained that the participating students
would be responsible for applying and gaining acceptance
into a college or vocational school. The student and the
student's family would decide which courses to take. He
commented that in other states with similar programs,
participating students usually took two or three courses.
Senator Kim Elton explained that in the program proposed in
SB 112, once the student successfully completed the college
or vocational technical school course, the student would
receive both college and high school credit. The amount of
the high school credit awarded to the student would be
determined by the high school administration. The student's
high school would submit the tuition and lab fees to the
college or vocational school. The student would pay for
books and supplies and retain ownership.
Senator Kim Elton disclosed that students who were enrolled
full-time in high school would not be provided tuition
reimbursement for college or vocational courses under this
bill.
Senator Kim Elton noted that the fiscal note was not based
on any cost or result from this bill. He remarked that the
fiscal note reflects the possibility that some high school
students would purposely fail the graduation exit exam in
order to remain a high school student and continue earning
college credits at the school district's expense. He
believed that scenario was only a remote possibility
because of the bill's provision that the program is only
available to students in good standing and because the
school district could make that good standing
determination. He surmised that a school district could
find that a student who fails the exit exam is not in good
standing. He suggested someone from the Department of
Education could speak more directly to the fiscal note.
Senator Gary Wilken referred to AS 14.30.780(a), page 3
line 6 of the committee substitute that prohibited school
districts from paying postsecondary course costs for full-
time secondary school students. He wanted to know how the
sponsor defined "full-time secondary student" and suggested
the Committee incorporate a definition into the language of
the bill. Senator Kim Elton answered that a full-time
secondary student is a student who attends high school for
a "normal school day". He stressed that it was important to
let the school district define full-time secondary student,
since each school district operated under different
circumstances.
In answering Senator Gary Wilken's next question, Senator
Kim Elton said correspondence students qualify as full-time
students if the correspondence program is provided by a
school district within the state.
Co-Chair John Torgerson asked if the educational funding
allocation for a participating student would be granted to
the college or vocational school where the student was
taking courses rather than to the school district.
Senator Kim Elton explained that the school district would
pay for courses taken by the part-time high school students
of that district. Tuition costs average $73 per credit
hour.
Senator Kim Elton noted that the participating post-
secondary schools must be publicly funded. A private
flying school does not qualify. He also stressed that
participating students must meet the requirements of the
college or vocational school they wish to attend.
Co-Chair John Torgerson asked if the adoption of this bill
would require school districts to transport students to
postsecondary classes. He referred to special education
programs that require school districts to provide
additional transportation. Senator Kim Elton said the bill
specifically dictates that the student is responsible for
transportation plus any extra fees involved in the
postsecondary courses.
Co-Chair John Torgerson asked about the impact the Running
Start Program would have on the TEK PREP program in his
district that actively solicits high school students to
take college courses for secondary school credit. Senator
Kim Elton replied that language had been added to SB 112
specifying that nothing in the bill would prohibit school
districts and postsecondary institutions from entering into
arrangements similar to the Kenai Peninsula program. He
said he was continuing to work with school districts to
ensure the bill does not preclude school districts'
innovative programs.
Senator Randy Phillips remarked that the Anchorage School
District felt this program was an unfunded mandate.
As Co-Chair John Torgerson understood, the intent of the
bill is to use a part of the per-student formula funds that
presumably would be leftover since the student does not
attend the secondary school on a full-time basis and
therefore incur the full cost to educate. He did not agree
that SB 112 is an unfunded mandate.
Senator Kim Elton agreed with the co-chair. He pointed out
that there are some students who do not attend any classes
at the high school and yet the school district receives
full funding for those students. He said that an argument
could be made that the post-secondary campus should receive
all of the funds if that is were the student attends
classes. However, many of these students still receive
school district support by way of counseling and other
services and are eligible to participate in extracurricular
activities and the district should be compensated.
Senator Kim Elton stated that "there was no net loss to
education under this program." He explained that the funds
would not be removed from the education component, simply
shifted from a secondary to a postsecondary level of
education.
Co-Chair John Torgerson asked if there were limitations on
the types of post secondary courses that would qualify for
the program. He gave an example of a pottery class and
wanted to know if graduation credits would be given for
those types of classes. Senator Kim Elton answered that was
possible but noted that the high school would have the
authority to determine credit allocations for courses.
Senator Kim Elton stated that this bill would allow a
student in good standing to take a course at a university
that was also offered at the high school, such as French I.
This would allow the student to obtain college credit as
well as high school graduation credit. He surmised that a
student could fulfill the requirements of their first year
in college before graduating from high school. He spoke of
the financial benefits this would have to families.
Senator Dave Donley relayed how during his senior year at
Diamond High School, he took university courses in lieu of
high school courses. He worked a summer job to pay for the
post secondary courses, and didn't expect anyone else to
pay for them. He supported this on-going program of
allowing dual credit. However, this bill expects the
school district to pay the tuition, which he disagreed with
and he believed that the individual student should be
responsible for the cost. He noted that the Anchorage
school district opposed the bill and he felt it places a
burden on the district.
Senator Dave Donley argued that the costs to school
districts would not go down because the courses would still
need to be maintained for those who might fail a university
class and return to the high school for that class. The
school district could not anticipate the need for the
classes and would have to continue providing them. He
stressed that it was the student's right to take the high
school class. He also noted that there would still be
expenses to the high school for services provided to the
students.
Senator Lyda Green referred to language on page 3 line 2 of
the committee substitute that stipulated that the post
secondary school cannot charge a fee for the award of
college credit when high school credit is also granted.
Senator Kim Elton explained that this was a simple
provision to prohibit a double charge to both the school
district and the student.
EDDY JEANS, Manager, School Finance Section, Education
Support Services, Department of Education told the
Committee that the department had already testified in
support of the concept.
Eddy Jeans said he was present to discuss the fiscal note.
The indeterminate amount notation was due to language on
page 2 line 18 of the committee substitute that stipulated
that a student who completed the course requirement for
high school graduation but had not yet received a diploma
can participate in the Running Start program. Students who
do not pass the high school graduation qualification exam
will be permitted to continue in the public school system
up until the age of twenty, with the normal graduation age
being eighteen. Under this provision, a student who
intentionally fails the exam could exploit the program for
up to two years of college courses.
Senator Lyda Green suggested a stipulation requiring that a
student who failed the exam and had a grade point average
that was above a certain level shall be eliminated from the
program. She stated that she did not support the bill, but
thought this might be a way to avoid the potential
exploitation reflected in the fiscal note. Eddy Jeans
responded that a student could have a 4.0 grade point
average and still fail the graduation exam.
Co-Chair John Torgerson didn't have any correspondence from
school districts relating to the bill and wanted to know if
the department had received feedback. Eddy Jeans replied
that the department had not.
Senator Randy Phillips knew that the Anchorage School
District opposed the bill.
Senator Dave Donley asked if the department actively
solicited input from local school districts on this
legislation. Eddy Jeans answered that the department had
not. Senator Dave Donley expounded on his opinions of the
Department of Education. He thought that before the
department voiced support of the concept of the bill, it
should have consulted with local school districts.
Co-Chair John Torgerson ordered the bill held in committee.
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