04/11/1997 09:09 AM Senate HES

                                                                               
         HB 147 STATE BOARDING SCHOOLS/CHARTER SCHOOLS                        
                                                                              
  CHAIRMAN WILKEN  announced that  CSHB 147(HES) am  was the next order        
 of business before the committee.                                             
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE CON BUNDE , Prime Sponsor, informed the committee             
 that Mt. Edgecombe is Alaska's only authorized boarding school                
 which has earned an excellent academic reputation.  Representative            
 Bunde explained that CSHB 147(HES) am proposes to increase                    
 opportunities for state boarding schools in order to increase the             
 quality of education, especially in rural Alaska.  The boarding               
 function of the boarding schools under this bill would not be                 
 funded by the state.  He had heard from some communities, rural               
 centers, that are interested in a boarding school program.  There             
 are a number of small schools in rural Alaska and as the foundation           
 formulas move forward, the small schools will be encouraged to                
 consolidate.  The option of a boarding school should be available.            
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN WILKEN  noted that the Superintendent of Galena had visited         
 him and discussed the facility there.   REPRESENTATIVE BUNDE                  
 explained that the entire Air Force facility located in Galena is             
 being kept in warm storage.  The entire capital investment would be           
 available for a school program.  Representative Bunde noted that              
 the Air Force is paying the water and sewage.  Also a contractor              
 with some 40 employees provides food service which would also be              
 available to the students.  Of course, Galena would like some                 
 additional state money to begin, but Representative Bunde believed            
 that there are other sources.                                                 
                                                                               
 Number 135                                                                    
                                                                               
  JOHN CYR , President of NEA-AK, was concerned with the finances.  If         
 school districts decide to build boarding schools in rural Alaska,            
 that is an expensive proposition.  Someone will have to pay for the           
 boarding of those students.  Mr. Cyr stated that financing boarding           
 schools are too expensive unless the money is taken from regular              
 programs.  Mr. Cyr suggested that this bill is similar to an                  
 unfunded non-mandate.                                                         
                                                                               
 Mr. Cyr also expressed concern with a statewide program being                 
 administered by a local school district.  Currently, statewide                
 programs such as Mt. Edgecombe are administered by the state, under           
 the department and the State School Board.  Mr. Cyr believed that             
 process to be appropriate because the program is offered to all               
 children of Alaska not just those in a local district.  As written,           
 CSHB 147(HES) am does not have a provision for that.  Mr. Cyr                 
 expressed the need for state oversight in these programs.                     
                                                                               
 With regard to the concern over the lack of state oversight,                  
  REPRESENTATIVE BUNDE  explained that if a boarding school were to be         
 a charter school, that must be approved by the local school                   
 district and the state school board.  In that event, there would be           
 a level of state approval.                                                    
                                                                               
  BARBARA KANGAS , testifying from Kenai, was concerned with the               
 language in Section 1 stating, "may not be paid for with state                
 money but may be paid for with funds contributed by sources other             
 than the state."  Ms. Kangas informed the committee that her local            
 school budget was cut by $2.2 million.  The Kenai has a number of             
 charter schools on line for next year.  Ms. Kangas did not                    
 understand how funding for another program could be mandated when             
 current programs cannot be funded.                                            
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE BUNDE  said that CSHB 147(HES) am was permissive and          
 did not mandate anything.                                                     
                                                                               
  SENATOR WARD  noted that Galena has 180 days evacuation procedure.           
 Senator Ward hoped that Galena would become a vocational training             
 program for the rural Native population.  Senator Ward identified             
 the regional corporations and the Bureau of Indian Affairs for                
 Native students which would offset some of the costs as in                    
 Wildwood.  Senator Ward believed that this was an excellent concept           
 and such should be provided as options for the local districts.               
                                                                               
  SENATOR WARD  moved to report CSHB 147(HES) am out of committee with         
 individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal notes.  Without            
 objection, it was so ordered.