Legislature(2003 - 2004)
05/10/2004 09:51 AM 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 HOUSE BILL NO. 338(HES)
"An Act relating to attendance at public school; and providing
for an effective date."
This was the first hearing for this bill in the Senate Finance
Committee.
Co-Chair Wilken explained that were this legislation, CS HB
338(HES), Version 23-LS1258\U, adopted, the public school
attendance policy requirement that a student be five years of age
by August 15th would be changed to allow attendance by a child who
turns five years of age by September first. In addition, he stated
that the bill would allow early admittance for students younger
than the required age upon approval by the superintendent.
RYAN MCKINSTER, Staff to Representative Lesil McGuire, the bill's
sponsor, stated that this legislation was developed in response to
a request by the Anchorage school district and constituents. He
noted that the Anchorage School Board (ASB) is primarily interested
in the section of the bill that would allow a school administrator
to make a determination regarding early entry into kindergarten, as
currently each request of this nature must be brought before the
ASB. The proposed language, he noted would allow for swifter
action, as the requests would be divvied amongst the various
schools.
Mr. McKinster also noted that changing the age requirement deadline
to September first would align Alaska with 25 other states. This
change, he noted, would assist those families who move to the
State, especially military families. He communicated that the
current August 15th cutoff has prompted some families to move to
another state and enroll their children in that state's school for
a few weeks as, upon return to Alaska, that enrollment would
qualify that student to attend an Alaska school. He noted that this
act is costly and disruptive to families.
Mr. McKinster noted that an indeterminate fiscal note accompanies
this legislation. He referred the Committee to a memorandum [copy
on file] addressed to Representative McGuire from Larry Wiget,
Executive Director, Public Affairs Committee of the Anchorage
School Board, dated May 6, 2004 that expressed that, from the ASB
perspective, there would be "no increased cost associated with the
passage of this bill."
Mr. McKinster stressed that this legislation would not incur a
monetary expense to a school district based on the premise, that
whether an education is provided to a student one year or the next
year has no monetary consequence. He noted, however, that it would
cost a family desiring an early admittance hearing approximately
$500, as a private early education consultant is required.
Senator Bunde admitted to being "a little bit prejudiced" on this
issue, as he is familiar with situations in which children are
enrolled "far too early" in kindergarten in order for their family
to avoid childcare expenses. He requested that kindergarten
teachers weigh in on whether enrolling children early "is a good
idea or not." He opined that enrolling children who are too
immature for kindergarten could be a disservice to the child and is
costly to the State in that there would be more beginning students
and, he continued, oftentimes, those children might have to repeat
a grade and would therefore be in the school system longer.
Co-Chair Wilken asked for confirmation that the time element issue
in the bill is a two-week difference between what is currently in
effect and what is proposed.
Mr. McKinster concurred that the legislation would delay the cutoff
date by two weeks by changing it from August 15th to September
first.
Senator Dyson acknowledged that due to the fact that 30 other
states have a September first deadline, that date might be a better
arbitrary date than the August 15th deadline. However, he agreed
with Senator Bunde's comments regarding the negative aspects of
enrolling a child too early, especially "when a parent objects to
it." He questioned whether the early enrollment decision would be
better served at the school board level or by an experienced
administrator. He voiced that the issue of parents using the system
as a babysitter is not a factor in this bill.
Co-Chair Green pointed out that Senator Dyson makes a good point in
regard to having the early admission decision being changed from
being a school board decision to being a school administrator
decision. She asked whether this would be "a good thing."
Mr. McKinster stated that the Anchorage School Board and the
Anchorage School District are on record in support of allowing
school administrators, rather than the school board, to decide on
whether a child should be granted early admittance, as the position
is that school administrators have more experience in this area.
Co-Chair Green noted that no other school district in the State has
weighed in on the legislation. She asked whether the changes are
procedural.
Senator Dyson characterized the changes to be permissive as the
language includes the word "may."
Co-Chair Wilken pointed out that language in Section 2, page one,
line 14 of the bill specifies that the school board "may delegate
the authority granted to the chief administrator."
Mr. McKinster informed the Committee that both the City and Borough
of Juneau and the Fairbanks North Star Borough school districts
support the legislation.
Senator B. Stevens declared a conflict in that a school
administrator granted his five-year-old child early admission to
kindergarten.
Senator Bunde commented that while the timeframe in question is
only a two-week difference, that time to the maturity level of a
five-year-old child is significant. He voiced support for allowing
children to mature a bit more before they are faced with the
challenge of being in public schools. Therefore he does not support
the date change language.
Senator Dyson moved to report the bill from Committee with
individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal note.
Senator Bunde objected.
A roll call was taken on the motion.
IN FAVOR: Senator B. Stevens, Senator Olson, Senator Dyson, Co-
Chair Green, and Co-Chair Wilken
OPPOSED: Senator Bunde
ABSENT: Senator Hoffman
The motion PASSED (5-1-1)
CS HB 338(HES) was reported from Committee with indeterminate
fiscal note #1 Corrected, dated February 17, 2004 from the
Department of Education and Early Development.
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