Legislature(2023 - 2024)ADAMS 519

02/23/2024 01:30 PM House FINANCE

Note: the audio and video recordings are distinct records and are obtained from different sources. As such there may be key differences between the two. The audio recordings are captured by our records offices as the official record of the meeting and will have more accurate timestamps. Use the icons to switch between them.

Download Mp3. <- Right click and save file as

Audio Topic
01:36:08 PM Start
01:37:26 PM Overview: Department of Education and Early Development Fy25 Budget
02:50:27 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+= HB 268 APPROP: OPERATING BUDGET; CAP; SUPP; AM TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
+= HB 270 APPROP: MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
+ Overview: Department of Education and Early TELECONFERENCED
Development FY25 Budget by Commissioner Deena
Bishop; Joel Isaak, Deputy Commissioner; and
Tama Carson, Administrative Services Director
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
                  HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE                                                                                       
                     February 23, 2024                                                                                          
                         1:36 p.m.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:36:08 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CALL TO ORDER                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Johnson called the  House Finance Committee meeting                                                                    
to order at 1:36 p.m.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Bryce Edgmon, Co-Chair                                                                                           
Representative Neal Foster, Co-Chair                                                                                            
Representative DeLena Johnson, Co-Chair                                                                                         
Representative Julie Coulombe                                                                                                   
Representative Mike Cronk                                                                                                       
Representative Alyse Galvin                                                                                                     
Representative Sara Hannan                                                                                                      
Representative Andy Josephson                                                                                                   
Representative Dan Ortiz                                                                                                        
Representative Will Stapp                                                                                                       
Representative Frank Tomaszewski                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
None                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
ALSO PRESENT                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Joel  Isaak, Deputy  Commissioner,  Department of  Education                                                                    
and Early Development;  Tama Carson, Administrative Services                                                                    
Director,  Department of  Education  and Early  Development;                                                                    
Dr.  Amy  Phillips-Chan,  Director, Division  of  Libraries,                                                                    
Archives,  and Museums,  Department of  Education and  Early                                                                    
Development;   Sana   Efird,  Executive   Director,   Alaska                                                                    
Commission   on  Postsecondary   Education,  Department   of                                                                    
Education and Early Development.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Deena  Bishop,  Commissioner,  Department of  Education  and                                                                    
Early  Development;  Deborah   Riddle,  Division  Operations                                                                    
Manager,  Department  of  Education and  Early  Development;                                                                    
Suzzuk  Huntington,  Director,  Mt. Edgecumbe  High  School,                                                                    
Department of Education and Early Development; Karen                                                                            
Morrison, Director of Finance and Support Services,                                                                             
Department of Education and Early Development.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SUMMARY                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
HB 268    APPROP: OPERATING BUDGET; CAP; SUPP; AM                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
          HB 268 was HEARD and HELD in committee for                                                                            
          further consideration.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
HB 270    APPROP: MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
          HB 268 was HEARD and HELD in committee for                                                                            
          further consideration.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
OVERVIEW: DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT                                                                         
FY25 BUDGET                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Johnson reviewed the meeting agenda.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 268                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act making  appropriations for  the operating  and                                                                    
     loan  program  expenses  of state  government  and  for                                                                    
     certain   programs;    capitalizing   funds;   amending                                                                    
     appropriations;  making capital  appropriations; making                                                                    
     supplemental  appropriations; making  reappropriations;                                                                    
     making  appropriations  under   art.  IX,  sec.  17(c),                                                                    
     Constitution  of   the  State   of  Alaska,   from  the                                                                    
     constitutional budget  reserve fund; and  providing for                                                                    
     an effective date."                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 270                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act making  appropriations for  the operating  and                                                                    
     capital    expenses   of    the   state's    integrated                                                                    
     comprehensive mental health  program; and providing for                                                                    
     an effective date."                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
^OVERVIEW: DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT                                                                      
FY25 BUDGET                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:37:26 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JOEL  ISAAK, DEPUTY  COMMISSIONER,  DEPARTMENT OF  EDUCATION                                                                    
AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT, introduced himself.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
TAMA  CARSON, ADMINISTRATIVE  SERVICES DIRECTOR,  DEPARTMENT                                                                    
OF EDUCATION AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT, introduced herself.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
DEENA  BISHOP,  COMMISSIONER,  DEPARTMENT OF  EDUCATION  AND                                                                    
EARLY  DEVELOPMENT  (via  teleconference), shared  that  the                                                                    
Department  of Education  and Early  Development (DEED)  was                                                                    
currently looking  at the potential  impacts of the  vote on                                                                    
SB 140 that  occurred the previous evening  [the House voted                                                                    
to increase the Base Student  Allocation (BSA) by $680]. She                                                                    
noted that  the presentation  would not include  the changes                                                                    
made in the  previous evening, but she would  follow up with                                                                    
the  exact   details  as  there  were   several  significant                                                                    
changes.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Ms.   Bishop   introduced    the   PowerPoint   presentation                                                                    
"Department  of  Education   and  Early  Development  FY2025                                                                    
Governor's Budget  Overview" dated  February 23,  2024 (copy                                                                    
on file).  She began  on slide 2  and explained  that DEED's                                                                    
mission  was  to provide  an  excellent  education to  every                                                                    
student,  every day.  The department's  vision was  that all                                                                    
students  would   succeed  in  their  education   and  shape                                                                    
worthwhile   and  satisfying   lives  for   themselves.  She                                                                    
explained that  the vision  was important  because education                                                                    
could not claim it was  successful if students were not able                                                                    
to  contribute to  society after  leaving the  public school                                                                    
system.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bishop continued  to slide 3. She  thought the statutory                                                                    
duties of the  department were laid out well  in statute and                                                                    
she would  detail the responsibilities in  the presentation.                                                                    
The  duties  included  establishing   a  school  system  and                                                                    
administering  public  schools, which  involved  significant                                                                    
contributions  from   the  Board  of  Education   and  Early                                                                    
Development (BEED).                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bishop  continued on slide  4 and outlined the  top five                                                                    
strategic goals  of the department.  The priorities  were as                                                                    
follows:                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     1. Support all students to read at grade level by the                                                                      
     end of third grade.                                                                                                        
     2. Increase career, technical, and culturally relevant                                                                     
     education to meet student and workforce needs.                                                                             
     3. Close the achievement gap by ensuring equitable                                                                         
     educational rigor and resources.                                                                                           
     4. Prepare, attract, and retain effective education                                                                        
     professionals.                                                                                                             
     5. Improve the safety and well-being of students                                                                           
     through    school     partnerships    with    families,                                                                    
     communities, and tribes.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bishop  advanced to slide  5 and detailed the  agenda of                                                                    
the   presentation.   The   department  would   present   an                                                                    
organizational  overview, division  summaries, a  high-level                                                                    
overview of the  budget changes for FY 25,  and a high-level                                                                    
overview  of  the  average daily  membership  (ADM)  of  the                                                                    
schools.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:42:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bishop continued  to slide 6 which  included a reference                                                                    
list  of  acronyms  commonly used  by  the  department.  She                                                                    
turned the presentation over to her colleague.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Isaak  continued on slide  7 and offered  an explanation                                                                    
of  the department's  organizational structure.  He detailed                                                                    
that BEED  was at  the top  of the  organizational structure                                                                    
followed  by the  commissioner, Ms.  Bishop, and  two deputy                                                                    
commissioner  positions. One  of  the  deputy positions  was                                                                    
held by Mr. Issak and  the other was currently vacant. There                                                                    
were   also  other   commissions  and   boards  within   the                                                                    
department which were listed on the slide.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Isaak continued  to slide 8, which showed  a DEED budget                                                                    
organizational chart.  He noted  that the  left side  of the                                                                    
slide focused  on the instructional  side of  the department                                                                    
and  the right  side focused  on the  financial side  of the                                                                    
department.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Isaak advanced to slide  9 and detailed the department's                                                                    
organizational  chart for  commissions and  boards. Included                                                                    
on  the slide  were the  Alaska  State Council  on the  Arts                                                                    
(ASCA),  the  Professional   Teaching  Practices  Commission                                                                    
(PTPC),   and  the   Alaska   Commission  on   Postsecondary                                                                    
Education (ACPE).                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:45:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bishop continued  on slide 10 which gave  an overview of                                                                    
the department's operating budget  and position history. The                                                                    
slide showed the  FY 23 actuals through the  projected FY 25                                                                    
governor's amended  budget. The  middle column on  the slide                                                                    
showed  the  management  plan  for  FY 24.  In  FY  25,  the                                                                    
projected budget total was about  $1.8 billion; however, due                                                                    
to the vote on SB 140,  there would be some changes. The BSA                                                                    
increase would  grow the  budget by  about $176  million and                                                                    
the correspondence adjustment would  account for an increase                                                                    
of  $13.1 million.  In combination  with a  couple of  other                                                                    
additions,  the budget  would increase  by a  total of  $196                                                                    
million.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative Galvin  asked about the dotted  green section                                                                    
of the  chart detailing  the funds  related to  the COVID-19                                                                    
pandemic within the governor's amended  budget. She asked if                                                                    
the funds were  still spendable and whether  the funds could                                                                    
be carried over to the next year.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bishop responded that the  funds were spendable and were                                                                    
already  appropriated; however,  the  exact budgeted  amount                                                                    
was  not yet  determined.  The funds  could  be spent  until                                                                    
September 30, 2024.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bishop continued to slide  11 which showed the breakdown                                                                    
of  the FY  25 budget  by category.  She explained  that the                                                                    
expenditures in the grants category  demonstrated the way in                                                                    
which  the money  was distributed  to school  districts. The                                                                    
district support for  K-12 came primarily from  the ADM fund                                                                    
[and  reflected  the  largest portion  of  the  graph].  She                                                                    
relayed that  she would  go further  into other  elements of                                                                    
the  budget  and how  the  elements  interacted with  public                                                                    
education overall. The  second  largest portion of the graph                                                                    
was  innovation  and  education excellence.  The  funds  for                                                                    
innovation  and  education  excellence  were  particular  to                                                                    
different programs within the department.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:51:55 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Galvin  thought  that  it  seemed  that  the                                                                    
budget   aligned  with   the  department's   five  strategic                                                                    
priorities.  She  asked  how  the  funding  for  the  family                                                                    
engagement  priority was  spent.  She also  wondered if  the                                                                    
early learning grants had grown over time.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bishop replied  that she would defer  the question about                                                                    
grants to  her colleague for more  detailed information. The                                                                    
grants  were funded  through  the  innovation and  education                                                                    
excellence portion of the budget.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
DEBORAH RIDDLE,  DIVISION OPERATIONS MANAGER,  DEPARTMENT OF                                                                    
EDUCATION  AND   EARLY  DEVELOPMENT   (via  teleconference),                                                                    
replied that  there were several early  learning grants that                                                                    
had  been  regularly distributed  to  the  districts in  the                                                                    
past.  There  was  about $3.2  million  in  pre-kindergarten                                                                    
grants that  were distributed to  a number of  districts and                                                                    
other partners. The Early Education  Program (EEP) grant was                                                                    
about $3  million and there  was an additional  $2.5 million                                                                    
appropriated  by   the  legislature  that  was   awarded  to                                                                    
districts that did  not receive the previous  two grants. In                                                                    
addition,  $6.2  million  was provided  to  the  Head  Start                                                                    
Program (HSP) to help it  meet its non-federal match as well                                                                    
as $474,700  to the Parents  as Teachers Program  (PATP) and                                                                    
$325,000 to the Best Beginnings Program (BBP).                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Representative Galvin  asked if the funding  provided to HSP                                                                    
was the full 20 percent federal match.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bishop responded  in the negative. She  added that there                                                                    
was a  one-time $1.5  million grant also  given to  HSP. The                                                                    
total was about 14 percent towards the federal match.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:56:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Carson  continued the  presentation  on  slide 12.  The                                                                    
department's  total  FY  25 budget  was  approximately  $1.7                                                                    
billion and over  the next few slides, she  would break down                                                                    
the  total budget  into categories.  The first  category was                                                                    
the  Executive Administration  Division (EAD).  The division                                                                    
included  the commissioner's  office  as well  as BEED.  The                                                                    
division provided  policy direction  to the  other divisions                                                                    
as  well   as  the  school  districts,   schools,  students,                                                                    
parents,  teachers, and  department programs  that increased                                                                    
student achievement. The  FY 25 budget for  EAD totaled just                                                                    
under $1.9  million, of which $1.1  million was unrestricted                                                                    
general funds  (UGF) and the rest  was interagency receipts.                                                                    
There were  eight full-time positions and  one non-permanent                                                                    
position in  the division.  In FY  25, a  new administrative                                                                    
assistant II  position within the commissioner's  office was                                                                    
added  to help  provide  support for  meetings, travel,  and                                                                    
other additional  work in the commissioner's  office and the                                                                    
department.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Carson  continued  to  slide 13  and  the  Division  of                                                                    
Finance and  Support Services (DFSS), which  was the largest                                                                    
chunk of the department's  funding and totaled approximately                                                                    
$1.33  billion.  The  division administered  the  foundation                                                                    
formula, pupil  transportation funding,  residential schools                                                                    
funding,  and   school  debt  reimbursement,   and  provided                                                                    
support  for school  district business  offices. The  school                                                                    
facilities  section  oversaw  school  capital  projects  and                                                                    
administered the  major maintenance and  school construction                                                                    
grants. The  child nutrition section administered  the child                                                                    
nutrition programs and any child  or adult care centers. The                                                                    
majority of UGF shown in the  blue section of the graphs was                                                                    
allocated  to foundation  funding  and pupil  transportation                                                                    
funding. The  grey section represented the  federal receipts                                                                    
which  were  mostly  awarded  by   the  U.S.  Department  of                                                                    
Agriculture (USDA)  and the orange section  was comprised of                                                                    
"other"  funds and  was primarily  the  public school  trust                                                                    
fund.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Carson continued  to slide 14 and  detailed the Division                                                                    
of  Administrative Services  (DAS), which  provided internal                                                                    
department services such  as accounting, budget, information                                                                    
technology,  and  human  resources  to  support  the  entire                                                                    
department.  The   budget  components   were  administrative                                                                    
services, EED  state facilities rent,  information services,                                                                    
and the facility  risk components. The budget for  FY 25 was                                                                    
$7.1 million  and there were  24 full-time  positions within                                                                    
the division.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
2:01:05 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:03:08 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Carson  continued on  slide  15  and relayed  that  the                                                                    
Division  of  Innovation  and  Education  Excellence  (DIEE)                                                                    
provided  pre-kindergarten  grants  to promote  student  and                                                                    
school  achievement  and teacher  certification  components.                                                                    
The  total  FY  25  budget excluding  the  estimated  carry-                                                                    
forward  federal  COVID-19  funds was  approximately  $145.2                                                                    
million. There were 70 full-time positions and six non-                                                                         
permanent  positions  in  the  division.  She  reminded  the                                                                    
committee that there was a  dashboard on DEED's website that                                                                    
detailed  the federal  COVID-19  spending,  showed how  much                                                                    
money  each grantee  and school  district had  been awarded,                                                                    
and showed how much money had already been spent.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Tomaszewski  asked Ms. Carson to  restate the                                                                    
website information.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Carson replied  that the  information was  on the  DEED                                                                    
website.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Isaak  clarified  that  page  27  of  the  presentation                                                                    
included a link  to the website. There was a  section on the                                                                    
website that detailed the shaded  green section under the FY                                                                    
25 budget  on slide  15. He explained  that the  section was                                                                    
shaded  because the  funds were  actively being  distributed                                                                    
and the website would show  the most accurate information on                                                                    
the uses of the funds.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Carson continued  to slide  16 and  explained that  the                                                                    
Alyeska  Reading  Academy  and  Institute  (ARAI)  supported                                                                    
school districts  and provided  services for  the successful                                                                    
implementation  of the  Alaska Reads  Act (ARA).  The FY  25                                                                    
budget  totaled  $5  million.  There  were  seven  full-time                                                                    
positions  and   three  non-permanent   part-time  positions                                                                    
within ARAI.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Carson  continued on  slide  17  and relayed  that  the                                                                    
budget for the Division  of Libraries, Archives, and Museums                                                                    
(DLAM)   was  comprised   of   library  operations,   museum                                                                    
operations,   archives,   online    library   systems,   and                                                                    
maintenance for the Andrew  P. Kashevaroff (APK) facilities.                                                                    
She explained  that the  APK building  in Juneau  housed the                                                                    
Alaska State  Archives, State Library, and  the Alaska State                                                                    
Museum.   The  total   operating  budget   for  FY   25  was                                                                    
approximately $11.8  million and  the division had  48 full-                                                                    
time position and one non-permanent part-time position.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:07:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Johnson asked  if the  Broadband Assistance  Grant                                                                    
(BAG)  that  had  been  recently passed  by  the  House  was                                                                    
included in the division.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Carson responded in the  negative and explained that BAG                                                                    
was  housed within  the libraries  in the  past, but  it had                                                                    
been transferred over to  school facilities. She highlighted                                                                    
that there was a line item  on slide 17 showing that BAG had                                                                    
been zeroed out.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Josephson  remarked  that the  governor  had                                                                    
vetoed funding for the  Statewide Library Electronic Doorway                                                                    
(SLED) and  the Online with  Libraries (OWL) programs  a few                                                                    
times  in  the past.  He  asked  whether  the SLED  and  OWL                                                                    
programs were currently operating.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Isaak deferred the question to a colleague.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:09:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DR.  AMY  PHILLIPS-CHAN,  DIRECTOR, DIVISION  OF  LIBRARIES,                                                                    
ARCHIVES,  AND MUSEUMS,  DEPARTMENT OF  EDUCATION AND  EARLY                                                                    
DEVELOPMENT,  responded  that  SLED  funding  was  currently                                                                    
offered  through   the  Institute  of  Museum   and  Library                                                                    
Services (IMLS)  grant and was awarded  annually. The Alaska                                                                    
Library  Network  (ALN)  partnered with  the  University  of                                                                    
Alaska (UA)  Fairbanks in order  to offer the  SLED program.                                                                    
She explained  that library staff  participated in  SLED and                                                                    
provided  support and  assistance  in  collaboration with  a                                                                    
number of consortiums across the  state. She could follow up                                                                    
with the  funding amounts if  the committee  was interested.                                                                    
She explained  that the OWL  program would continue  from FY                                                                    
24 through FY 25 with no significant funding changes.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Josephson asked  if he  was correct  in that                                                                    
funding  for one  or both  of the  programs had  been vetoed                                                                    
within the last  five years. He understood  that there would                                                                    
be no  significant funding changes,  but there was  a desire                                                                    
for funding for OWL to increase.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Dr.  Phillips-Chan  responded  that   funding  for  OWL  had                                                                    
remained stable but there had  been some conversations about                                                                    
additional   funding   for   SLED.  She   noted   that   the                                                                    
conversations had been spearheaded  by an outside entity and                                                                    
not by DLAM.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Johnson noted  that UGF  funds decreased  from $15                                                                    
million in FY  24 to $8 million  in FY 25. She  asked if the                                                                    
change was due to transferring the BAG funds out of DLAM.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Carson responded in the affirmative.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Isaak responded  that the $5 million item  was listed on                                                                    
slide 13 under DFSS.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:12:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Johnson  understood that the  total cost of  SB 140                                                                    
was  just under  $2  billion, but  by  her calculation,  the                                                                    
total  should  be $246  million.  She  asked Ms.  Bishop  to                                                                    
explain the discrepancy.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bishop responded that DEED's  analysis showed that there                                                                    
would  be   a  $13.1  million  increase   in  correspondence                                                                    
funding, an  overall BSA  increase totaling  $176.1 million,                                                                    
an  increase to  pupil transportation  of $7.1  million, and                                                                    
the  as-of-yet  unknown  increase  in  funding  for  reading                                                                    
comprehension support and  the development of Individualized                                                                    
Reading  Plans (IRP).  The changes  totaled  just under  $20                                                                    
million.  Excluding the  unknown  funding  for reading,  the                                                                    
total was  $196.5 million. In  addition, the $39  million in                                                                    
BAG funding was not  included. Consequently, she thought the                                                                    
total  cost would  be  over $240  million.  The numbers  for                                                                    
correspondence, the  BSA, and pupil transportation  were all                                                                    
based on  projected student enrollment. She  emphasized that                                                                    
the  amount of  IRPs was  not  currently known  and the  $39                                                                    
million BAG funding was not included in the totals.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Johnson   commented  that  the  numbers   she  had                                                                    
calculated were similar to Ms. Bishop's calculations.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:17:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Coulombe  noted that there was  a request for                                                                    
a program coordinator to help  transfer BAG out of DLAM. She                                                                    
asked how  BAG funding was  distributed in the past  and how                                                                    
the process would change.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bishop responded that when  BAG was located in DLAM, the                                                                    
grant  disbursement  was   processed  through  a  contracted                                                                    
employee rather  than a program coordinator.  Over time, the                                                                    
internet  had  become  more  complex   as  had  the  various                                                                    
services that were  available across the state.  There was a                                                                    
contract for  $78,000 for BAG in  the prior year but  due to                                                                    
the  complexity of  the program,  more work  had to  be done                                                                    
than  was  anticipated.  She thought  that  BAG  was  better                                                                    
suited  in  a different  division  under  DEED in  order  to                                                                    
dedicate an  experienced grant provider  to BAG. Due  to the                                                                    
potential influx in  money resulting from the  passage of SB
140,  it was  anticipated  that there  would be  significant                                                                    
interest in BAG  funding. She thought it  was important that                                                                    
knowledgeable and experienced  individuals were working with                                                                    
the funding.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Coulombe understood that  DEED had about $6.7                                                                    
million in BAG funding for the  past few years. She asked if                                                                    
the  funding included  in  SB 140  would  supplant the  $6.7                                                                    
million.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bishop responded  that she would have to  follow up with                                                                    
specific information.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:20:26 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Carson  continued on  slide  18  and relayed  that  Mt.                                                                    
Edgecumbe  High  School  (MEHS)  was  a  state-run  boarding                                                                    
school  located in  Sitka. The  budget for  MEHS was  broken                                                                    
down into  funding for  the school  itself, funding  for the                                                                    
aquatic center, and funding  for facilities maintenance. The                                                                    
FY 25  budget totaled  $16.7 million  and included  51 full-                                                                    
time positions and 10 part-time positions.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Carson continued to slide  19 and detailed the budgetary                                                                    
information  for  the  Alaska  State  Council  on  the  Arts                                                                    
(ASCA). The  council represented  and advanced  the creative                                                                    
endeavors  of   individuals,  organizations,   and  agencies                                                                    
throughout   Alaska.   The   budget  for   FY   25   totaled                                                                    
approximately  $4   million  and  included   five  full-time                                                                    
positions and one non-permanent position.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Carson advanced to slide  20 and reviewed the budget for                                                                    
the Professional  Teaching Practices Commission  (PTPC). The                                                                    
commission  helped prepare,  attract,  and retain  effective                                                                    
education professionals  by serving as a  preventative force                                                                    
to  enhance the  professional performance  of all  educators                                                                    
and ensuring that educators were  qualified and ethical. The                                                                    
commission  had one  full-time employee  who worked  for the                                                                    
nine-member commission. The commission's  total FY 25 budget                                                                    
was $271,300.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Carson  moved to slide  21 and  gave an overview  of the                                                                    
Alaska  Commission on  Postsecondary  Education (ACPE).  The                                                                    
commission  promoted  access  to education  and  success  in                                                                    
education  and  career  training  beyond  high  school.  The                                                                    
budget was  comprised of the Alaska  Performance Scholarship                                                                    
(APS),  other  education  grants, loan  servicing,  and  the                                                                    
Washington, Wyoming, Alaska,  Montana, Idaho (WWAMI) medical                                                                    
education  components.  The   commission  had  50  full-time                                                                    
positions and  two non-permanent positions. The  total FY 25                                                                    
budget was approximately $43.4 million.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Carson continued to slide  22 which provided an overview                                                                    
of  DEED's budgetary  changes. Most  of the  information had                                                                    
been  discussed already  during  the  presentation, but  she                                                                    
wanted to highlight  an error on the slide:  the funding for                                                                    
the  Alaska   Resource  Education   (ARE)  grant   would  be                                                                    
distributed in  FY 25 and  FY 26, not FY  24 and FY  25. She                                                                    
concluded the presentation.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:23:39 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Josephson  asked  how much  money  had  been                                                                    
invested in ARA thus far.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Isaak responded that he  would defer the question to Ms.                                                                    
Bishop.  He  noted  that  department  directors  who  worked                                                                    
directly with ARA were also available for questions.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Bishop  responded that  the  focus  of the  $5  million                                                                    
investment  in  ARAI was  to  support  school districts  and                                                                    
reading tutors. The entire component  was in support of ARA.                                                                    
at the  start of the  program, $30 was allocated  per pupil.                                                                    
There had also been an  influx of COVID-19 relief funding to                                                                    
help  build  capacity  around professional  development  and                                                                    
building the program. She could  provide the detailed dollar                                                                    
amounts  in a  follow up.  She requested  that someone  from                                                                    
DIEE share the  information about the ARA  input and overall                                                                    
budget.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Josephson  would   appreciate  the  detailed                                                                    
information.  He  asked what  the  fiscal  notes called  for                                                                    
after the  passage of ARA in  2022 and how much  funding had                                                                    
been historically appropriated. He  clarified that he wanted                                                                    
to  understand how  much  had  been spent  thus  far on  the                                                                    
implementation of ARA.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bishop would follow up with the information.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:26:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Tomaszewski  referred to  slide 21  and asked                                                                    
for more  information about the appropriations  for ACPE. He                                                                    
understood  that the  administration and  operations of  the                                                                    
commission were  about a quarter  of the  commission's total                                                                    
budget.  He   asked  for  more   information  on   what  the                                                                    
administration and operation of the commission entailed.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SANA  EFIRD,   EXECUTIVE  DIRECTOR,  ALASKA   COMMISSION  ON                                                                    
POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION,  DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION  AND EARLY                                                                    
DEVELOPMENT,  replied that  the  funding for  administration                                                                    
and  operations  of  the  commission  included  all  of  the                                                                    
personnel that administered the  loan programs and the state                                                                    
financial aid  programs. She clarified that  ACPE was funded                                                                    
through  the Alaska  Student Western  Undergraduate Exchange                                                                    
(WUE)  corporation  and  the   funding  was  distributed  as                                                                    
interagency   receipts   to   the   component   of   program                                                                    
administration and operations. The  component was made up of                                                                    
50   positions,  which   cost  around   $6.9  million.   The                                                                    
contractual  cost   made  up  for   the  remainder   of  the                                                                    
expenditures. The  total budget  was closer to  $33 million:                                                                    
about $23 million in pass-through  grants and $10 million in                                                                    
program operations. She added  that ACPE administered all of                                                                    
the  student  loan  corporation  programs,  which  were  not                                                                    
reflected on slide 21.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Tomaszewski  asked   for  confirmation  that                                                                    
administration and  operation of the commission  was about a                                                                    
quarter of the budget.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Efird responded in the affirmative.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Representative Cronk asked for a  list of all of the federal                                                                    
impact aid dollars broken down by school district.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Ms.   Bishop   responded   that  she   would   provide   the                                                                    
information.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Coulombe noted that  the fund source for PTPC                                                                    
was listed  as designated general  funds (DGF) and  UGF, but                                                                    
she understood  that PTPC was funded  through licensing fees                                                                    
for teacher certifications. She asked why UGF was listed.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Isaak  responded  that  he   would  follow  up  on  the                                                                    
historical  UGF funding.  The large  increase in  the FY  23                                                                    
actuals  was due  to using  teacher  certification fees  for                                                                    
funding the spike in the number of hearings.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Coulombe requested  that  Mr. Issak  include                                                                    
information about the revenue in his follow up.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:32:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Galvin  understood that ARA had  12 employees                                                                    
total and the budget spend  was $5 million. She assumed that                                                                    
there  were other  expenses apart  from personnel  costs and                                                                    
asked what the other expenses were.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bishop  responded that a portion  of the cost was  for a                                                                    
building to  house the reading  academy and for  teacher and                                                                    
tutor training. She relayed that  the building was currently                                                                    
being completed.  The money would  also help  support school                                                                    
districts with materials outside  of the core curriculum and                                                                    
help fund summer programs. She  reiterated that the majority                                                                    
of  the funding  was dedicated  to helping  school districts                                                                    
with the  costs for  materials and  professional development                                                                    
that might not be included in a district's budget.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Galvin   understood  that  a   building  was                                                                    
currently  being constructed  for the  reading academy.  She                                                                    
asked where the building was and  how much had been spent on                                                                    
it.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bishop corrected herself and  shared that a new building                                                                    
was  not being  built, but  an existing  building was  being                                                                    
renovated  to ensure  that  it was  a  safe environment  for                                                                    
young people. She would follow  up with the breakdown of the                                                                    
expenditures and the programmatic goals leading into 2025.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Cronk asked  what  the  "other" funding  for                                                                    
MEHS was for.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Isaak  responded that  MEHS did  not receive  funding in                                                                    
the same manner as other  schools. He explained that funding                                                                    
for MEHS had to flow  through other funds to be appropriated                                                                    
properly. He clarified that MEHS  was not treated like other                                                                    
school districts  and the funding  formula did not  apply in                                                                    
the same way.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Representative Cronk  asked what  the total annual  cost was                                                                    
for the aquatic center.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Isaak  responded that  the director  of MEHS  was online                                                                    
and could  answer the  question. He  noted that  the aquatic                                                                    
center received receipts.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:38:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SUZZUK  HUNTINGTON,  DIRECTOR,  MT. EDGECUMBE  HIGH  SCHOOL,                                                                    
DEPARTMENT   OF  EDUCATION   AND  EARLY   DEVELOPMENT,  (via                                                                    
teleconference), responded that the  UGF costs were the same                                                                    
as the aquatic center costs.  She would follow up to confirm                                                                    
the information.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Cronk relayed  that  he would  also like  to                                                                    
know what kind of revenue was brought in by the receipts.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Huntington confirmed  that she would follow  up with the                                                                    
requested information.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Bishop  continued  to  slide   23  which  detailed  the                                                                    
financial input for  the BSA for public  school funding. The                                                                    
chart on the  slide also showed funding that  was outside of                                                                    
the funding formula.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Bishop continued  to slide  24 which  included a  chart                                                                    
demonstrating the  total state  aid and total  average daily                                                                    
membership  (ADM).   For  FY  25,  there   was  a  projected                                                                    
reduction  of  4,218 students  based  off  of the  projected                                                                    
numbers for school districts since  2000. She moved to slide                                                                    
25 which depicted the history  of the statewide ADM. The ADM                                                                    
had changed  over time  and the  pandemic had  a significant                                                                    
impact on  parent choices and  brought to light the  lack of                                                                    
resources   for  correspondence   schools.   The  focus   on                                                                    
correspondence schools had grown and had impacted the ADM.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Bishop  advanced to  slide  26  which provided  contact                                                                    
information for the presenters.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:42:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Stapp  asked  about  Department  of  Defense                                                                    
Education Activity  (DODEA) grants and wondered  if DEED had                                                                    
the mechanism to apply for the grants.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Bishop responded  that her  colleague  might have  more                                                                    
information  about the  grants. There  was available  impact                                                                    
aid provided to large scale  installations that was meant to                                                                    
replace the  local tax  value for  those living  on military                                                                    
bases.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
KAREN MORRISON,  DIRECTOR OF  FINANCE AND  SUPPORT SERVICES,                                                                    
DEPARTMENT   OF  EDUCATION   AND   EARLY  DEVELOPMENT   (via                                                                    
teleconference), replied that  the state received additional                                                                    
funding for its military bases.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Stapp  asked if  the  funding  given to  the                                                                    
military bases  remained within  the local  school districts                                                                    
or was moved around.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Morrison  responded that the impact  aid was distributed                                                                    
directly to  the school districts  and did not  flow through                                                                    
the state, but it was  used in the foundation formula. There                                                                    
was  additional  funding  for  military  bases  that  flowed                                                                    
through  the state  and  was a  direct  pass-through to  the                                                                    
local school districts.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Stapp asked  if all  the federal  money that                                                                    
came to  the state  as pass-through  funds went  directly to                                                                    
the military bases' local school districts.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Morrison responded that the  funds went directly through                                                                    
the state to the military bases' local school districts.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:45:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Galvin  understood  that there  were  a  few                                                                    
slides that should be updated  to reflect the recent vote on                                                                    
SB 140.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Johnson  noted that  the  bill  had not  yet  been                                                                    
signed into law.  She wanted to wait to  ask for significant                                                                    
changes  to   the  presentation   until  the   changes  were                                                                    
solidified.  She suggested  that  the  changes be  discussed                                                                    
during the subcommittee process.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Stapp  asked  how the  funding  that  flowed                                                                    
through  the BSA  was distributed  to  military schools.  He                                                                    
asked if  the funding  was distributed  to every  ADM within                                                                    
the program.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Morrison  responded that there  was no  funding received                                                                    
at  the  state level  for  impact  aid. She  explained  that                                                                    
impact aid was  used as part of the foundation  formula as a                                                                    
percentage deduction and it was not given to the state.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Bishop added  that  impact aid  was  a replacement  for                                                                    
taxes  which  were  received by  the  municipality.  When  a                                                                    
municipality provided  a basic need in  a local incorporated                                                                    
area, the basic need was  considered the minimum amount that                                                                    
needed to  be provided  for the  local share.  She explained                                                                    
that  90  percent  of  impact aid  could  be  considered  as                                                                    
support for  the local tax evaluation  that was incorporated                                                                    
as part  of the basic  need portion of the  funding formula.                                                                    
The remaining  10 percent  was deducted  for the  purpose of                                                                    
fees.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
HB 268 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further                                                                              
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
HB 270 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further                                                                              
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Johnson reviewed the agenda for the next meeting.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
2:50:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The meeting was adjourned at 2:50 p.m.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
DEED FY25 Budget Overview H FIN 2.23.24.pdf HFIN 2/23/2024 1:30:00 PM
HB 268
HB 270