Legislature(2003 - 2004)
04/07/2003 01:33 PM Senate HES
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SB 121-COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
CHAIR DYSON announced SB 121 to be up for consideration.
MR. EDDY JEANS, School Finance Manager, Department of Education
and Early Development (DEED) spoke to SB 121 and explained that
it would repeal the current statutes dealing with the community
schools program. This program has been in place since 1975 and
was adopted to encourage and assist local school districts in
the establishment of community schools. The intent of the
Legislature was to provide a program of community school grants
to be established to provide assistance to local communities in
the initial development, implementation and operation of
community school programs.
He explained in the early years this program was funded at its
statutory authorization. For the last couple of years it has
been funded at about $500,000. The department still thinks that
community schools are a viable activity after the school day is
over, but they believe the programs are already established and
self sufficient without the state's support. He was able to
identify about $1.4 million of total community school
expenditures of which the state is providing about a half
million (less than 7 percent of the total funding being spent on
community schools).
The application process is set out in statute, which still
refers to the initial development of a community schools
program. The administration and department believe that this
statute has fulfilled its intended purpose.
SENATOR WILKEN asked him to go over the Fairbanks figures.
MR. JEANS responded that Fairbanks recorded $180,000 in
community school expenditures in FY02. The state grant was
$50,000; the state's support was almost 28 percent of the total
expenses. He said the fiscal note only shows the money that they
get through the grant program.
Page 2 of the fiscal note shows the community schools allocation
based on FY04 projections. The statute says that districts are
entitled to one half of one percent of the foundation aid state
support that was provided or $10,000; whichever is less. He said
the total entitlement under this program would be almost $3.3
million. The Legislature had recommended funding at $.5 million,
which would represent about 15 percent of the total entitlement
under FY04 projections.
CHAIR DYSON asked why the Legislature recommended $500,000.
MR. JEANS replied that he misspoke and that was based on what
was in the budget last year.
SENATOR GARY WILKEN said if this legislation were to pass,
Fairbanks would lose $48,688.
MR. JEANS said that is correct.
MR. RICK LANGFITT, Community Schools Coordinator for the Kodiak
Island Borough School District, said while the level of state
funding may be minimal, that small amount shows base support for
the value of community schools programs. The Kodiak school
district is facing a $2 million budget shortfall for the next
fiscal year and the community schools program is one among many
valuable programs the district is considering for elimination.
State support for it would make it harder to justify eliminating
it and the district would lose grant funds if it does not
provide a program.
CHAIR DYSON asked him what if the state said if the local people
don't care enough about it to fund it, we're getting the wrong
signal.
MR. LANGFITT replied that the level of funding Kodiak gets from
the community schools grant is $10,700 and the rest of the money
to support the program, which totals $70,000, comes from local
communities. He maintained:
While we're looking to cut things, with that
additional state cut, it just makes it that much
harder to justify trying to come up with another
$10,000 to support a program when we already have a $2
million shortfall for next year.
MS. JOYCE KITKA, volunteer with the Alaska Association for
Community Education (AACE), referred to information she provided
the committee that shows what her organization helped make
happen in communities. Existing buildings in 53 out of 53 school
districts are being used on nights and weekends as opposed to
being closed at the end of the school day or year. Over 20,000
programs and activities were offered and over 342,000 activity
hours were logged, over 464,000 youth were served, over 390,000
adults were served, over 20,000 different volunteers logged in
almost 212,000 hours. She continued:
...the National Association for Partners in Education
state that an average volunteer is worth $15.62 per
hour, if you take that and multiply that by the
212,000 hours, we brought in over $3 million in
services from our volunteers. We think that's an
excellent track record and we would challenge you to
find any other program in this state that serves as
many people on as few state dollars as we get.
MS. KITKA responded to the question of why the program should be
state driven for local people by saying she thought it was a
partnership and a good faith effort on both parts. She noted:
On Saturday in House Finance, it was referred to as
being the spark plug. The $500,000 was the spark plug
that keeps these programs going...We do open gyms. We
will not deny that. When I open a gym and I have 150
kids who are hanging out there on a Saturday night, I
know it's meeting a need.
MS. KITKA concluded by saying:
The Department of Education's mission statement
addresses life-long learning and yet they and the
governor are wishing to eliminate the funding for the
one vehicle that helps promote this.
She said the Legislature could choose to not fund the program
right now as it realizes money is tight, but it can do that and
still keep the statute intact.
MR. LARRY WIGET, Executive Director, Public Affairs, Anchorage
School District, said the district does not support eliminating
the community schools program from the statute or eliminating
the funding. He maintained:
According to AS 14.36.010(a), the purpose of the
community schools is an expression of the philosophy
that the school is a fine educational institution of
the community. It's most effective when it involves
the people of that community in a program designed to
fulfill their educational needs.
He thought the law should be changed, but rather than
eliminating community schools from statute, the intent of the
law should be changed to include ongoing operation of community
school programs.
MS. DEBBIE BOGART, Director, Community Education Program,
Anchorage School District, said if passed, SB 121 would
devastate community education. This program is a valuable
component that contributes to the academic success of our
students. It provides continuing education for adults and
preschool education for young learners. The community school
programs keep the community involved in our schools. It brings
people without children into the schools so they know more about
them. Last year 33,000 youth and 28,000 adults were involved in
their programs.
CHAIR DYSON asked why the department has chosen to eliminate the
statute as well as the funding.
MR. JEANS replied that basically DEED was looking to eliminate
the funding, but the intent of the program was to provide seed
money to get the programs up and running, "and they are up and
running."
CHAIR DYSON asked why they couldn't leave in language for the
start up of new programs and eliminate the continuous funding
language.
MR. JEANS replied that all 53 school districts participate in
this program and the start up has occurred. If the Legislature
wants to provide on-going operational money, at a minimum the
statute needs to be amended to reflect that.
SENATOR WILKEN asked if school districts track the net
expenditure of community schools in the chart of accounts.
MR. JEANS replied probably not.
CHAIR DYSON called a brief at-ease and came back on the record
to state the agenda for the next meeting. He announced that SB
145 was being held in committee.
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