Legislature(1999 - 2000)
05/13/1999 08:45 AM House FIN
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE
May 13, 1999
8:45 A.M.
TAPE HFC 99 - 134, Side 1.
CALL TO ORDER
Vice Chair Con Bunde called the House Finance Committee
meeting to order at 8:45 A.M.
PRESENT
Vice Chair Bunde Representative Foster
Representative G. Davis Representative Grussendorf
Representative J. Davies Representative Kohring
Representative Austerman Representative Moses
Representative Williams
Representative Therriault and Representative Mulder were not
present for the meeting.
ALSO PRESENT
Eddie Grasser, Staff, Representative Beverly Masek; Darroll
Hargraves, Executive Director, Alaska Council of School
Administrators; Eddy Jeans, Manager, School Finance Section,
Department of Education.
SUMMARY
HB 113 An Act relating to a program of postsecondary
education for high school students.
HB 113 was HELD in Committee for further
consideration.
HOUSE BILL NO. 113
An Act relating to a program of postsecondary education
for high school students.
EDDIE GRASSER, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE BEVERLY MASEK,
explained that the proposed legislation was intended to
allow eleventh and twelfth grade students attending a
secondary school to have the option of taking postsecondary
classes at a nearby college campus.
Mr. Grasser noted that the legislation had been modeled
after a program already in effect in Minnesota and would
give high school students the opportunity to take more
advanced classes within the university system and count them
toward their requirements for graduation from high school.
The bill would recognize that secondary students are part of
the public education foundation formula and would provide
for tuition assistance whenever the secondary student
chooses to count college courses toward the high school
graduation requirements.
HB 113 will give public school students more options in
planning their curriculum. Instead of being limited to
those classes offered by the local high school, the bill
would provide students a wider variety of options by
including courses available at local college campus.
Mr. Grasser advised that because of the large fiscal note,
the sponsor of the bill would like to work on the bill
during the interim in order to work on the funding so as to
create a program which will work for everyone involved. He
noted that the sponsor would like to structure the funding
so that school districts could continue to negotiate with
the University system with a payment plan.
Representative Bunde questioned if HB 113 would require that
an University teacher come to teach a high school class of
students. Mr. Grasser replied that situation currently
exists in Valdez, while in other areas, the students go to
the University branch. The bill would provide that the
University and high school system provide that option.
Representative Austerman suggested that the State establish
the framework so that the school system and the University
work it out between themselves. Mr. Grasser responded that
had been the attempted; however, in some school districts
the options are not there. The proposed legislation would
make it so that the campuses would have to negotiate with
the school system to provide the option.
In response to Representative Austerman, Mr. Grasser
explained that the districts pay for the program, which
could be labeled a "unfunded" mandate from the State. He
reiterated that the program is worth investing, as it will
provide students more options.
Representative J. Davies commented that students currently
do this, but are paying for it individually. Mr. Grasser
noted that there are some students that can not afford
college tuition.
Mr. Grasser pointed out that in the first section of the
bill, Representative Dyson and the HESS Committee added
language which allows people to go to high school that are
over 20 years of age.
EDDY JEANS, MANAGER, SCHOOL FINANCE SECTION, DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION, spoke to the concerns of the Department, in
which, students failing high school graduation testing,
return in order to continue as a secondary student, getting
their first two years of college paid with K-12 funding.
Under current law, a student can continue the secondary
program until they are 20 years old.
Representative Austerman questioned if the K-14
consideration had been made and how it would incorporate
into the proposed legislation.
In response to Representative G. Davis, Mr. Jeans replied
that the Department has not yet taken a position on changing
the age to 21 years. He stated that it was the intent of
Representative Dyson to have that option available for those
students that dropped out of school because of drug or
alcohol problems, to offer them an incentive to return to
school to earn a diploma.
In response to Representative J. Davies, Mr. Jeans stated
that the intent of the legislation was that the school
districts and the University work together to meet the
student's needs. He agreed that there are many ways in
which to approach the situation.
Mr. Jeans continued, in the way that the bill is currently
structured, it would require the school district to pay the
tuition fee through the existing foundation funds received.
He spoke to an additional concern of the part time students.
The legislation could be an avenue for those private school
students to get a "jump start" on their college course work
funded by the State.
Representative Austerman asked if the Department's position
was one of mandating the program rather than it being
voluntary. Mr. Jeans replied that the Department supports
the concept, however, they are not sure that the proposed
legislation would be the appropriate mechanism as currently
written.
DARROLL HARGRAVES, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALASKA COUNCIL OF
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, spoke in opposition to the proposed
legislation. He stated that at this time, when an older
student returns back to school, they are not counted in the
foundation formula. There are alternatives to those
students such as the general education diploma (GED) or a
diploma that they could receive through the University
campus. Many parents are registering complaints that
schools are required to let the adult student back in. The
Alaska Council of School Administrators (ACSA) would like to
see the that local boards and districts continue to make
that determination.
Mr. Hargraves pointed out that Alaska has made much effort
in local school districts working with the University of
Alaska. He noted that in the Community College Act of 1962,
it is specified the purpose of a community college is to be
a joint cooperative effort between the local school
districts and the University of Alaska. Mr. Hargraves
stated that any kind of statute put together in the
Legislature could interfere and cause problems for those
local programs.
Representative G. Davis questioned if a problem currently
exists. Mr. Hargraves replied that he did not know of any
problems at this time, however, if this legislation is
passed, there will be trouble as it would not be limited to
only public school students. He asked who would pay the
foundation costs for those other students. He stressed that
"people will work the system" and schools will begin to
accept dropouts in order to take advantage of University
classes.
Representative J. Davies interjected that the funding for
the University has been decreased to such an extent that
increasing the number of students in this way will require a
means of support.
HB 113 was HELD in Committee for further consideration.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 9:20 A.M.
H.F.C. 4 5/13/99 a.m.
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